Dying Love

Shhhhhh.

Keep still and quiet.

Those hissing and screeching noises are coming from within the cascading fountain. This fountain remains shielded by towering trees leaving the fountain completely hidden. But that's not the only line of protection. A creature with a very big appetite stirs within this fountain. Night-cloaked water prevents the creature from being seen but when disturbed and agitated he makes known of his presence.

Snap!Crack! The twigs beneath Matteo’s foot began to break as he stepped between the narrow passageway.

“SHUT UP!” Eva, scream whispered. “Waking the beast before we even get to the fountain will kill us for sure” said Eva as she continued through the passageway. Eva and Matteo decided tonight was the perfect night for their ambitious mission. Tonight all the fairies were at the annual trolls summer break bash. Once a year the trolls spend the whole weekend in the month of June throwing the most outrageous and peculiar parties. Last summer they had two dragons and pixies do cirque du soleil and let’s just say that it’s going to be hard to beat that this year. But this made it a perfect night because it meant everyone was busy chugging unicorn spit and no one would notice their disappearance.

“We’re probably gonna die anyway! And I don’t want to die before I get to drink unicorn spit!” Matteo whispered aggressively. Matteo was Eva's best friend, they have been friends since the day they both bloomed from the tulip garden. 18 years ago they emerged from the baby pink petals of the tulips that grow within the garden. Eva and Matteo were fairies and they lived within a magical forest that contained many diverse mythical creatures. Though some of the creatures can be a bit hostile they all live amongst each other in harmony. But this wasn’t the case a decade ago. War reigned within the forest and many creatures were brutally murdered and their population decreasing significantly almost to the point of extinction.

After months of slaughter and starvation the war finally halted to an end when the treaty of tragic magic was signed by all creatures and sealed with the blood of the beast. This treaty ultimately put a cap on magic and controlled when and how much it was used. This angered many creatures but it greatly angered Eva. Eva finally turned 18 and if it weren’t for this treaty she would be one of the most powerful fairies. She comes from a long family line of powerful fairies. But because of this treaty she will never know her full potential and instead will only be able to do petty and typical things with magic.

And because of this, is why she now stands before the fountain that houses the beast.

“We’re going to live, and finally be powerful and we can finally make changes around here” Eva whispered with anticipation. This is the moment she trained for. Long nights of sword fighting are finally going to be put to the test. She wasn’t just well trained though. Eva also has a plan. Plans that were embedded in her mind. Within this plan was a list of things she must do to prepare for this duel. First was to train how to kill the beast with Matteo and take its life with the sword of morality.

The second, making sure Matteo never finds out about her real plan.

“Where should I lay the unicorn's heart?” Murmured Matteo with a grimace on his face. Matteo was not fond of the part of the plan that made him slaughter a newborn unicorn. But for the woman he longed and loved, Eva, he ripped the chest of the unicorn and snatched the beating heart from within so that he could present it to his beautiful Eva. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. For she was flawless and incapable of mistakes in his eyes.

“Lay it on the hands of the woman that swims within the fountain” she sang while her hands fumbled within her pockets searching for her dagger. Finally as she felt her fingers graze the tip of the dagger she sighed and began to walk prancing a few feet behind Matteo.

Matteo plops the heart between the statue's hands. “There, now we wait?” He asks nervously.

“Yes. May I hold your hand as we wait? I’m feeling a little anxious” she asks while grabbing his hand before he could respond. The heart is supposed to act as the bait for the beast. And when the beast makes its way to the heart, Eva, with the only sword capable of killing the beast, will attempt to slice the beast's head off. Facing Matteo, Eva gently asks, “would you do anything for me?”

“Yes! Of course! You know I love you. I’d steal all the unicorn hearts in the universe if it would make you happy” exclaimed Matteo as he pulled her closer by the waist. And even though it seems drastic and dramatic, he meant what he said.

With a sly smile Eva caresses his face and whispers softly in his ear, “then you must die”. In a quick swift motion, the dagger drags from her pocket and impales him through the heart. She withdraws from him and with blood gushing from his mouth, he smiles.

Eva throws his body behind her back and jumps in the fountain. She treads toward the statue that already contains the heart and places him at its feet. Taking two steps back she pivots around and feels a sudden smell of rotten flesh flood her nostrils. She begins to bow down. “Master, I have brought you an offering. A unicorn's mere heart is not a powerful enough gesture to show my loyalty and dedication to you. So instead I bring you the man I love as a sacrifice.”

“You have brought many sacrifices to me.I asked for 17 unicorn hearts, the head of a troll, and the body of a loyal lover. And you now have delivered all” screeched the beast.

“Tell me, Eva Willow, does the blood seeping through your soaked hands feel good? Does your desire remain the same?” Groaned the beast as he licked his cracked bleeding lips.

With a big smile displaying her sharp yellow teeth, Eva replied “master, I desire to be all powerful and ruler of the forest”.

The beast releases a big sigh almost out of boredom “Your desire is now manifested into works, with every heart you take the more power you will obtain”.

Beast begins to slowly descend into the black abyss of water and with his last breath he declares “May you keep fear as a companion. For without fear there is no limit to your blood thirst.”