The world blurred around the edges of Aria's pupil. The sky merged with the ground in an endless stream. It sparkled with life as the stars scattered all around—a true splatter of vibrant color. No painting could capture its breathlessness. In that vastness, at the top of a high mountain, above everything, lay a lone tree. A small patch of green and lively grass contrasted with the dark wood.

Aria laid against the tree trunk. Up this high, it felt like her body floated above the clouds. She never felt so light.

"You seem to like it up here," a deep, masculine voice pulled Aria from her daze.

Aria turned to her left and there, leaning against the same tree, was Elvin. His stormy eyes calmly looked upon the peaceful night sky. His long silver-gold hair danced with the light gentle breeze. His white skin seemed so bright against the midnight colored sky. Like he was one of the stars himself. His strong and sharp jaw, which was usually so tensed, loosened at the beauty around him.

"Thank you, Prince Elvin, for bringing me here. It is nice to relax after everything." Aria was genuinely thankful. She was also truly sorry.

Aria leaned her back further onto the bark of the dark tree. The rough wood spikes served to anchor her. It was hard to remember when she had been here last. So, much had happened. Yet, at the same time, so little. Her mind was as foggy as the misty air around them.

"Anytime. You need only ask." Firm lips widened into a teasing smirk, revealing pearly white teeth. The sky blurred behind him as the darkness of the night danced around him.

A tug pulled at the corner of Aria's lips, threatening to form a smile. She could not explain why her cheeks reddened at his action. Those words. They meant something. She bit her lip, trying to put out whatever flame threatened to burn within her. Instead, she gazed forward. She could not get enamored by the sight. There was a plan, and she would stick to it. 'A plan?'

"Is this where you bring all your conquest?" Aria teased, hoping to distract him from her wandering hand. It slid slowly against the singing grass, trailing towards her pocket. The green blades sang songs of pleads against her fingertips. Pleads for her to stop.

"No," - he smirked - "I like to come here for solitude."

"Umm," Aria mumbled, adding a smidge of skepticism to her tone. Caramel orbs watched his every breath, making sure his eyes remained on the sight before them.

"It is true. I wonder why you believe me to be such a skirt chaser." His grin widened as if he was excited at what possibly Aria would say.

The question stumbled Aria, the light blush on her cheeks spread all the way down her neck. "I imagined that a prince would get a lot of offers. Not to mention you have no problem prancing around in the nude, from what I have seen."

Elvin chuckled once again. His voice rumbled against the plane, brushing the edge of Aria's skin. He seemed to be doing that a lot. Aria wondered when she had grown used to it. When had the drumbeat of his chuckle become so enticing? He turned to her. Aria's hand stilled, ceasing its slow motion.

"Okay, three things. First, I do get many offers, and, yes, some are after my crown, but far more are dying to see if the rumors they hear are true. Second, as you have noticed, elves are not taught to shy away from their bodies, so as startling it is to you, most people would not be faced by it. Lastly, I do not bed everything that waltzes in front of me and offers."

"Are the rumors true?" Aria asked. A little taken aback that she would ask that. Why would she say that?

The smirk on his face wavered for a second. His eyes narrowed as a flash of thunder sparked within them. The way his gaze roamed across her lips sent a shiver down Aria's spine. It promised so much. "Are you asking because you want to find out?"

The air around her heated up at his question. Or was that her?

"What if I do?" Aria asked. Her hand forgetting the contents of her pocket.

Elvin watched as her lip trembled under his touch. His hand rose and slowly stroked down Aria's cheek. It wandered further down, trailing the length of her long and slender neck. His touch commanded her skin to ache with need.

Her eyes closed. Breath quickened. Just like it had descended, his fingertips teased their way back up. Aria's neck unconsciously extended, granting his unspoken request.

He leaned closer. His hot breath brushed ever so gently against the nape of her neck. Firm and rough lips kissed up her skin. Each inch he touched sent a tremble down to her very core. When he reached her earlobe, he nibbled and whispered. "If you remember what I told you at the high solstice, you need only ask."

What was the high solstice? What did he tell her? Why did her heart feel so empty? But regardless of those answers, Aria couldn't stop herself.

She opened her eyes to speak, but the sky blurred all around her. The sky? When had she laid down? "Elvin, I wan..." she spoke. What did she want?

As if materializing out of the sky itself, Elvin appeared above her. His eyes looked wilder than she had ever seen. Hungry even. His bare chest brushed against her hardened nipples. Her heartbeat pounded against her chest.

"Are you sure you want this?" He asked.

Before the words could leave her, everything around her darken. She looked around in a panic. Pure darkness devoured everything around them.

She reached forward, desperately trying to grasp the disappearing form. "Elvin!"

"Elvin!" Aria's dry scream sliced through the silent room. She was on fire. Every inch of her skin was tender like the wax of a slowly melting candle.

"So you finally awaken," the High Sheevra sighed in relief. It has been hours since she had managed to fracture the seal's hold on the human. But the seal was fighting back, fighting to maintain control. She feared the human would not fare well.

"It's about damn time," Estel grunted from her right. Her nose pointed high in repugnance.

"That's unnecessary soldier," Elvin warned Estel. His eyebrows furrowed with concern as he walked closer to the center bed where a damped Aria laid.

The sounds echoed around Aria with no direction. Everything was there, but at the same time, it was not. A figure approached her, but she could not see who. Every time the image would sharpen, her eyes would get tired and close, only for the cycle to repeat itself over and over again.

"Aria, can you hear us?" Elvin's voice was slow and calm in hopes that it would reach her.

The baritone voice vibrated against Aria's skin, shaking her very being, and further disoriented her.

Fear struck Aria. Pure fear. It was dark. Suffocating. Never-ending.

Blood.

Her hands were covered in it. Deep crimson blood. She wanted to puke at the sight.

Caramel eyes followed the drip of the proof of what she had done. There, lying on the floor, was a golden dagger. Its handle was made of dark black metal. So dark, light could not touch it. The blood poured from it.

'What have I done?' Aria thought in shock. Indeed. What had she done?

Tears fell from her eyes. She felt so much pain. So much anguish. It was consuming Aria from within, tearing away at everything she was. She collapsed on the floor, her eyes wide in horror. It was so much blood.

She just wanted to die.

The wind around her strengthened. It's vortexed around Aria. Sucking the air from her lungs. The blood spread from in front of her and into the turmoiled air. When they merged, the wind cracked. Its sounds vibrating so loud it almost rupture Aria's ear. She cried. But the storm only got stronger.

"I'm sorry," she cried out into the storm.

"What have I done?" Aria whispered once again. She was exhausted. Half hooded eyes opened to find herself staring at a worried wrinkled face.

"You are awake again?" The High Shveera mentioned while patting a wet cloth against Aria's forehead. She was still burning hot, and it had been hours since she was rendered unconscious. The wise elf was starting to fear for the well being of the human. Maintaining such high temperatures could not be good for them.

Aria's tired eyes flashed around, panning over the High Sheevra and landing on Elvin. He rested on the chair next to the bed. His eyes were closed, and his head leaned on his arm.

"I told him it was unnecessary, but he insisted on staying," the High Sheevra answered.

"Wha--" her vocal cords spasmed against her throat. It was so dry that it hurt to speak.

"What" - Aria's voice cracked - "what happened?" Through the pain, she spoke.

The sound of Aria's voice awoke the sleeping prince, his eyes wide in relief. He stood so fast the chair behind him was almost flung backward.

"Aria," the tightness in Elvin's heart lessened. The image of Aria magic violently pouring out as she thrashed around in her bed brought forth too many bad memories. "Are you okay now?" He asked, placing his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

Aria made to speak, but when his hand touched her skin, her eyes rolled back.

Aria's body ached as she stared at the delicately painted ceiling. The moonlight entered the room and bounced from the snowflake shape chandelier. It casted a gentle glow over the place. The light seeped into everything around.

A soft hum filled the room and compelled Aria to rise. The silk sheet brushed gently against her tender skin as she rose from the luxurious bed. Her eyes turned to her right and found the chair now empty. She followed the soft angelic voice to the opened balcony doors. There standing in front of an easel, was a tall and imposing figure.

As if sensing Aria's gaze, she turned. The moonlight highlighted her mature features. Her eyes shined like pools of seawater, and her hair was golden. But what struck Aria was the tint of her skin. It looked like she had been painted with the sky itself. The tone was so gentle, so minute, that it could almost be missed against the night sky.

In a panic, she scrambled from her bed but found it difficult to stand for long. Aria held onto the bed pole, using it as a crutch. "Who are you?" Aria asked.

"You have come to visit me," a warm smile appeared on the female elf's face.

"What do you mean?" Aria asked, but it was like her words did not register in the elf's mind.

"Of course," a deep baritone voice came from the entrance of the room.

Aria turned to its source, "Elvin? Who is this woman?" But again, her words did not register.

Aria watched him closely. He looked different somehow. His hair was held tightly back, and it was shorter than she remembered. He walked forward in long strides closing the distance between him and the older elf. He held her head gently in his hand and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling today?" He asked.

"Much better now that you are here," she grabbed his head and forced it to bend forward. She placed her own kiss on his forehead. "You should cease your endless search, I rather see you more often."

"Nonsense. I will find a cure for whatever ails you." Elvin's voice was determined, but uncertainty underlined his tone.

Aria tried to walk forward, but as her knees wavered, so did the world around her. She felt an itch on the back of her mind. No. More like a banging. Like someone was trying to break through. When she was half-way there, she fell to the grown and held her aching head. A crack in the space next to her appeared. Through it, walked a dazed and confused Elvin.

Elvin's eyes flashed over Aria's struggling form but froze at the sight before him. The world froze in the moment. The curtains flew endlessly in the air.

The shorter-haired Elvin stood motionless, looking at the woman in front of him. Unlike him, the blue-skinned elf eyes turned sharply towards the invading pair.

"You shouldn't be here," her words struck hardly against the stunned Elvin that stood next to Aria.

"Mother?" Elvin asked, not believing his very own eyes.

A look of pain flashed over the sky-colored elf. But she quickly turned to Aria. She rushed forwards before Elvin could reach her.

"It's time for you to go." Light blue fingers pushed against Aria's forehead.

Aria's being vibrated back, leaving the figment of her body. With her went everything.