The light doesn't fade from her sight. Her vision remains dazzled but her center of gravity has shifted. His hands, his lips, his voice - Her love. Her King. Oberon's words ring in her ears, a clarion call, a command and a promise all in one.
Finally, her eyes flutter open. They're startling to see - captivating and dark. The abyssal gaze of a Faerie Queen. She doesn't respond immediately. A beat. A second. Then her expression softens, a warm smile blooming across her face. Her lips part. ]
Oberon.
[ Ah. She can see him so clearly like this. A Fairy King in all his glory. A wretched wrym, writhing and coiling and hungry. Does she look even half as lovely to him like that now? She hopes so.
She reaches out to touch his face. Her hand is gentle, tender, reverent and her voice even more so. ]
[ the grail tumbles from his fingertips - empty and worthless now, just a worthless hunk of metal that'll dissolve in moments. those fingers rest against his cheek - cool like a recent corpse, warm like the summer kingdom, familiar after weeks of tangled bodies and entirely new all the same.
she's here. she's finally, finally here. ]
T...Titania. [ he reaches up, fumbles at her hand, takes it into his own. the hand that was once in her chest cradles her close, every muscle in his body trying to pull her flush against him. ] Myqueen.You'rehere.You'refinally,finallyhere.
It used to frighten her, sometimes, when she met his gaze. She didn't understand what it was, but it felt like he was gouging her open, digging through layers of filth to see what she was keeping hidden. If she has the eyes of someone who deceives people then his are the eyes of someone who sees them entirely too clearly.
But now she sees it, too. She can hear his words but - there's something else, too. She sees them, understands them to be true even as she doesn't understand how it could possibly be the case, but if it's true, if those beautiful words really are real, then...
Her eyes sting. Tears, again, find their way down her cheeks but this time the air is hot and heady and sweet and the laughter that bubbles from her lips is high and breathless. ]
Yes. I can see you. Properly, after all this time, Oberon -
[ Her head is spinning. She feels like she's drunk, dazed and a little bit lightheaded like the aftermath of an evening of midsummer merrymaking. She throws her arms around his neck, her head pressed to his shoulder, breathing in the scent of him. ]
I love you.
[ The words come out like a sob. Her tears are still flowing but she laughs again, giddy and disbelieving. ]
I love you - tell me again? Say it so I can see it one more time, please- I love you.
[ she laughs. she says those words - i can see you - and looking in her eyes, he knows she's speaking true. of course she has the eyes of a faerie. what other choice would there be, for his wife?
he clings even tighter, digs his fingers in as if he had claws to latch on with, breathes in his queen's scent and sound and beautiful, wonderful laughter. and hesitantly, slowly at first, he spits out- ]
Ihateyou.
[ but there's no sense in listening to the drivel he speaks now, is there? not when every last word is spelled out for her, so pristine and beautiful. so he says unimaginable, worthless things, curses against her name, and the whole while she sees the truth- ]
I love you. I love you, Master- Ai-, no, Titania. My wife. My queen. I've been waiting all this time, and now-
[ his voice trembles. his breath quavers. ]
You're here with me. And- and I'll say it as many times as you need, you little minx. I love you. I love you. I love you. Humanity, fairies, mages - they can rot, or they can thrive, and not a bit of it matters. You're here. I love you.
[ Confessions of love are the things an idol hears more than anything. Eventually, they become white noise - really, that's all they were in the first place. The words are meaningless, the feelings behind them worth even less.
But this is different. It's real. It's true. The words neither of them have ever been able to say, bitter curses spat out and softening into the loveliest words of love she's ever heard in her life. ]
I was waiting too. My whole life, all I wanted was for someone to know what I really am and say that anyway. Even though I'm dirty and hopeless and all the rest - I just wanted someone to love me anyway. I thought I needed a wish for it, but- but you were the one. Before we ever had the Grail.
[ Her laughter and tears come out in tandem, hiccuping sobs that shake her whole body as she clings to him. ]
Stay with me forever. That's all I want. You're all I want.
[ With those words, she pulls back - just enough so she can look him in the face and see him again, properly, with these eyes of hers. Oberon, Vortigern, Faerie King and wrym - she looks at him and smiles, radiant and warm. She wants to see him, properly, when she calls him what he really is. ]
I love you. More than anything. All this time, you were the one I was waiting to love. My darling husband.
[ She's a newly wedded bride, isn't she? So it's only natural that she seals those words with a kiss. ]
[ she sobs, and she kisses him, and for a moment he just freezes against her lips. when he pulls away, words tumble from his lips, filling the space with excuses, the dashing sounds of a king looking after his crying queen, and all that is truly said is- ]
I'm- scared. [ he doesn't want to say it. he can't say it. and yet, the truth is as visible as day, just as inescapable as the lies of the fairy king. he can no more lie to his wife than he can stop loving her, after all. ] I'm terrified, Titania. You're here with me, now, and I love you, and I have no idea what to do. What if I fail you? What if you leave me? Happiness is here, for the first time, and I don't know what to do with it.
[ he reaches up, pulls a stray lock of her hair into place. his words don't matter. all that matters is the truth, now. ]
What do you want me to do? Name anything, and I'll do it. My beloved, my master, my queen.
[ Something warm bubbles up her throat - equal parts fond and protective and maybe just a little mischievous. It's truer than anything he's ever told her and as much as it makes her heart ache to suddenly see him so frightened, there's another part of her just as eager to reassure him. She's been keeping so many shameful words tucked away in her heart for all this time and now she doesn't have any choice but to let them pour out of her. ]
You're silly. [ Her voice is low and sweet - her tears give it a raspy edge that make it even warmer than it already was. ] Where would I even go without you? Here, see...?
[ She catches his wrist and slowly drags his hand down until his palm cradles the side of her throat. Under his touch, her pulse beats steady and true. ]
It's kind of a corny line, but... technically, my heart really is yours, isn't it?
[ Her chin dips down and she lifts his hand just enough to press a kiss to his palm. He'd been so careful with her heart that of course she'll do the same in return. ]
So... will you take me home? [ Her tone takes just the slightest turn for bossy, a playful imitation of a queen who expects her every word to be obeyed. ] This is a horrible place to spend a wedding night, you know.
no subject
The light doesn't fade from her sight. Her vision remains dazzled but her center of gravity has shifted. His hands, his lips, his voice - Her love. Her King. Oberon's words ring in her ears, a clarion call, a command and a promise all in one.
Finally, her eyes flutter open. They're startling to see - captivating and dark. The abyssal gaze of a Faerie Queen. She doesn't respond immediately. A beat. A second. Then her expression softens, a warm smile blooming across her face. Her lips part. ]
Oberon.
[ Ah. She can see him so clearly like this. A Fairy King in all his glory. A wretched wrym, writhing and coiling and hungry. Does she look even half as lovely to him like that now? She hopes so.
She reaches out to touch his face. Her hand is gentle, tender, reverent and her voice even more so. ]
I'm here. ... I'm sorry I made you wait.
no subject
she's here. she's finally, finally here. ]
T... Titania. [ he reaches up, fumbles at her hand, takes it into his own. the hand that was once in her chest cradles her close, every muscle in his body trying to pull her flush against him. ] My queen. You're here. You're finally, finally here.
[ his shoulders shake. he clings even closer. ]
Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?
no subject
It used to frighten her, sometimes, when she met his gaze. She didn't understand what it was, but it felt like he was gouging her open, digging through layers of filth to see what she was keeping hidden. If she has the eyes of someone who deceives people then his are the eyes of someone who sees them entirely too clearly.
But now she sees it, too. She can hear his words but - there's something else, too. She sees them, understands them to be true even as she doesn't understand how it could possibly be the case, but if it's true, if those beautiful words really are real, then...
Her eyes sting. Tears, again, find their way down her cheeks but this time the air is hot and heady and sweet and the laughter that bubbles from her lips is high and breathless. ]
Yes. I can see you. Properly, after all this time, Oberon -
[ Her head is spinning. She feels like she's drunk, dazed and a little bit lightheaded like the aftermath of an evening of midsummer merrymaking. She throws her arms around his neck, her head pressed to his shoulder, breathing in the scent of him. ]
I love you.
[ The words come out like a sob. Her tears are still flowing but she laughs again, giddy and disbelieving. ]
I love you - tell me again? Say it so I can see it one more time, please- I love you.
no subject
he clings even tighter, digs his fingers in as if he had claws to latch on with, breathes in his queen's scent and sound and beautiful, wonderful laughter. and hesitantly, slowly at first, he spits out- ]
I hate you.
[ but there's no sense in listening to the drivel he speaks now, is there? not when every last word is spelled out for her, so pristine and beautiful. so he says unimaginable, worthless things, curses against her name, and the whole while she sees the truth- ]
I love you. I love you, Master- Ai-, no, Titania. My wife. My queen. I've been waiting all this time, and now-
[ his voice trembles. his breath quavers. ]
You're here with me. And- and I'll say it as many times as you need, you little minx. I love you. I love you. I love you. Humanity, fairies, mages - they can rot, or they can thrive, and not a bit of it matters. You're here. I love you.
no subject
But this is different. It's real. It's true. The words neither of them have ever been able to say, bitter curses spat out and softening into the loveliest words of love she's ever heard in her life. ]
I was waiting too. My whole life, all I wanted was for someone to know what I really am and say that anyway. Even though I'm dirty and hopeless and all the rest - I just wanted someone to love me anyway. I thought I needed a wish for it, but- but you were the one. Before we ever had the Grail.
[ Her laughter and tears come out in tandem, hiccuping sobs that shake her whole body as she clings to him. ]
Stay with me forever. That's all I want. You're all I want.
[ With those words, she pulls back - just enough so she can look him in the face and see him again, properly, with these eyes of hers. Oberon, Vortigern, Faerie King and wrym - she looks at him and smiles, radiant and warm. She wants to see him, properly, when she calls him what he really is. ]
I love you. More than anything. All this time, you were the one I was waiting to love. My darling husband.
[ She's a newly wedded bride, isn't she? So it's only natural that she seals those words with a kiss. ]
no subject
I'm- scared. [ he doesn't want to say it. he can't say it. and yet, the truth is as visible as day, just as inescapable as the lies of the fairy king. he can no more lie to his wife than he can stop loving her, after all. ] I'm terrified, Titania. You're here with me, now, and I love you, and I have no idea what to do. What if I fail you? What if you leave me? Happiness is here, for the first time, and I don't know what to do with it.
[ he reaches up, pulls a stray lock of her hair into place. his words don't matter. all that matters is the truth, now. ]
What do you want me to do? Name anything, and I'll do it. My beloved, my master, my queen.
no subject
You're silly. [ Her voice is low and sweet - her tears give it a raspy edge that make it even warmer than it already was. ] Where would I even go without you? Here, see...?
[ She catches his wrist and slowly drags his hand down until his palm cradles the side of her throat. Under his touch, her pulse beats steady and true. ]
It's kind of a corny line, but... technically, my heart really is yours, isn't it?
[ Her chin dips down and she lifts his hand just enough to press a kiss to his palm. He'd been so careful with her heart that of course she'll do the same in return. ]
So... will you take me home? [ Her tone takes just the slightest turn for bossy, a playful imitation of a queen who expects her every word to be obeyed. ] This is a horrible place to spend a wedding night, you know.