A Beautiful Night

The rain drops hit the cold stained glass of the window, causing the fragile pane to reverberate in its place. She wrapped her delicate and cold hand around the base of the wax candle, wincing as her feet touched the frozen floor. Shadows seemed to dance as if enticing her to play with them.

A consistent knocking could be delicately heard on the window. The rhythmic pace of her heart thumped as she slowly tiptoed towards the continuous sound. A glittery item was held majestically within the newcomers’ talons.

“Hello,” he wailed as she opened the door to him. Perching himself beside the fire, he watched in curiosity as if fully understanding the scene before him.

“Now, what are you doing out in such a storm, my feathered love?” she questioned as the unexpected guest turned its head to the side as if trying to study her.

A low laugh rumbled from the corner, “Communicating with ravens again, I see?” Striding to her with a coy smile on his face, he gently picked up her hand and placed it mysteriously on his heart.

“What was the poor thing doing out in this?” she asked as her eyes reluctantly searched the shadows to find the creature.

“Where did he go?” she questioned, as her eyes plunged deep into the black eyes of the man before her.

“You have a heart of gold, Little One,” stated the gentleman in a matter-of-fact tone as he entwined his arms around her small frame. “Don’t you ever just feel like just watching the world burn?”

A small smile broke across her face as she teased, “How do you know it hasn’t already?”

He shook his head before giving her a stern reply, “Persephone, one day that pure heart will get tired of humanity and allow me to burn it all.”

Kissing him gently on the forehead, she watched as his black eyes slowly turned a shade of crimson that was so familiar to her now.

“Why do you seek my permission to destroy humanity?” she asked in the same manner a curious and innocent child would.

Putting both of his hands on each side of her face, his protective eyes searched her face before he slowly let out his breath, “Because I always know you will stop me.”

“It looks like the world will survive another day then,” she joyously laughed.

Sternly placing his hand under her chin, he gently commanded, “sit down.”

Taking a seat in front of him, she smiled as she felt the familiar bristles of the hairbrush glide through her hair, only momentarily catching on a few tangles of the often-unmanageable mess. Grooming herself wasn’t her favorite activity nor did it interest her to try to unweave the strands of hair that seemed to stick to one another. She was too hyperactive for that, all too impatient, and a bit too energetic to focus on it or so it seemed, but how she loved it when he gently ran the brush through it.

The sound of wings could be heard above her head as a silver and sparking new barrette was nestled lovingly in her freshly combed hair.

Kissing him on the lips, she remarked, “I told you that you could fly, my Hades.”

“What makes you think that was me?” he questioned playfully as he returned the kiss.

“That’s what he was carrying in his claws,” she enthusiastically stated.

“Your imagination is beautiful, My Little One,” he announced as he looked at her proudly.

“Oh, come on. The whole world knows that you can shape shift,” she quipped before continuing, “Why a snake, though?”

“Because I knew it would one day make you smile,” he replied before clutching her to his chest.