During the next few hours, William Bennett tosses and turns in the soft sheets of Melody's bed. Meanwhile, she talks with each of her citizens before making her official decision.

If she chooses to return back to life, Will's life expectancy will be hastily cut. If she rests with her people...She remembers the bard's words that give her some comfort. He will protect her people's legacy.

Hector returns back to her side. "My queen, there's something you should know to aid your decision."

"What is it?"

He tells her what Will asked him to do with the bottles. Her feet shuffle from side to side while a smile creeps on her face.

"Thank you, Hector. For everything you did."

"Even in death, I will serve you. I will follow you into the afterlife if that's what you wish."

She places her hands on his clavicle. "I only ask that you rest. You earned it for all that you did."

She lays her head on his sternum. He wraps his arms around her and holds it for some time.

"Before you go, let's have some music. I will send someone to get William at 11:30."

As they talk, Emilia and the other children arrange a game of jacks using some of their bones for the game. She drops a ball and gathers some finger bones before catching it. Melody lightly smiles that kids will always be kids, even in death.

----

Will continues to think between the two spells he could use. One would shorten his life, while the other would peacefully end Melody. He rubs his temples as he thinks about his options.

No matter what she picks, I will do what she asks of me. It will hurt though if she picks the second option, he thinks. He lets out an exhale as he interlocks his fingers on his chest.

The howling wind passes by outside. Kraa!

He hears it outside his door. The raven from before.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

He rolls out of bed to open the door. He hears the fluttering of wings before feeling its talons on his shirt. The dark bird nuzzles its head against his cheek.

"You like me too?"

A gentle kraa!

"I will take that as a yes. Where are we going?"

The bird leaps off of him and croaks at him repeatedly. The bard catches on that it wants him to follow. He follows the sounds back down to the throne room.

"Welcome back, William," the queen speaks with mixed emotions. She's now wearing an open back orange dress that accentuates her wide hips and bosom.

He bows to her. "Glad to hear your voice again, Queen Melody."

He hears the flapping wings of the raven as it comes back to him. The beak touches his hand and he feels the silver wires.

"May you play some lively music for my people?"

"Definitely. May I dance with you?"

"Yes, but how?"

"I will show you."

He strums his wires with a foot on the end.

"Lovely music, fall onto our ears,
May tonight be filled with the happiest of tears.
Continue to play until Melody commands it,
For her decision, I will submit."

The wires pull and extend tightly until they stand on its own. The wires vibrate as lively music plays out. The bard hears the skeletons walk to the middle of the floor. Emilia is scooped up by her father as he dances while holding her hand. The raven sits on an arm of the throne and taps its feet to the beat.

Will hears the sound of happy groans as the undead dance. He also hears a pair of footsteps walking towards him. His nostrils pick up the scent of the white wine in her hair.

With a soft grip on his hand, she leads him close to the throne.

Will holds her right hand with his left as he puts a right hand on her back. His fingers feel a cold, hard surface near the soft flesh of her scapula. He doesn't mind the exposed bone as he leaves his hand on there. 

He pushes her forward and maneuvers her around the dance floor. She lets out an exhale as his steps surprised her.

"You're a great dancer, Will. Did Claude teach you?"

"He did," he smiles. He then turns her in place as he slides to the other side.

"He's a great teacher. I'm barely doing a thing."

"You are though. The notes may tell me where I am, but my passion comes out with the right person." 

What a witty bard, she smirks.

"I do wish that those two guards were here to see this. I'm sorry about what Garth did to them. What were their names?"

"Luis and Rodrigo."

"Let's dance in their honor then."

She smiles out of appreciation that he remembered them. The smile disappears as it's making her eventual decision more difficult. Due to losing focus, she steps on his left foot.

"OW!" Will shifts it up in pain.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine," he grunts.

"No, I was trapped in my thoughts. Maybe we should-"

He pulls her back in with a close embrace.  "I'm fine, Mel. Let's keep dancing."

"Mel?" she asks to make sure she heard him right.

"My nickname for you. Is that okay?"

"I like it."

Their hearts race and thump as they wanted to unite. Melody feels blood rushing up to her face with a sense of light headedness. The music then changes to a more fitting mood. Slow, gentle vibrations play out to soothe their hearts.

He shifts his hands down to the small of her back. She responds by wrapping her hands behind his neck. They sway and step slowly as more of their feelings pour out. Will hears the skeletal footsteps of the others stop.

"They're watching us," the queen whispers. The undead citizens watch on as the queen and bard dance to the romantic tune. He then feels her head resting on his chest.  Violet tears drop down on his shirt.

"Mel, are-"

"Let me have this."

The bard silences himself. She then presses her whole body against his as they continue to sway. Her inner walls lower down from the comfort and security he's bringing her. 

His chest, abs, and....are a bonus, she smiles as the bard's personality rubbed off on her. She feels his heart longing to be with hers.

Will can't help but smile that he's feeling her curvaceous body against his. Soft skin that he wants to kiss along with her skeletal outline. He tunes out the music to focus on her heartbeat. 

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

His favorite song is playing. To him, it's a blessing to be this close to someone else he adores. Even if she chooses to rest with her people, he will never forget this moment. Silent exhales leave their lips as the bard's body warms them both up.

He feels her head tilting up against his chest. Her magenta gaze focused on him. He wishes he can see those beautiful eyes again, but without the ritual involved. His body urges him to kiss her right then and there.

However, he restrains himself. She hasn't made her decision yet.

"Music, stop," she commands. The wires stop playing as she lets go of him. "I made my decision."

William readies himself and won't argue with the choice she will make.

Her cold palms cup his cheeks. "Te amo, William Bennett."

He didn't know the language, but a smile goes from one ear to the other. He goes to speak, but she stops him with a hand to his mouth.

"I want to stay alive with you while my people rest. You loved me for who I am despite what others think of me. I want to be your wife. I want to enjoy the time I will have left with you. I only ask of this: include in your spell that I will die along with you."

He removes her hand with a skipping heart. "Why? I included that you would live a long life when I'm gone."

"I don't see myself with anyone else, but you. You truly listened to me and surprised me with your words and actions. That's how much I love you."

Hearing her say "I love you" makes his heart bounce with joy, but....

"What about our child, if we make it that far?"

"I thought about that. I also came up with a story that I want to run past you."

She tells him the plan and he takes in the amount of well-thought detail she came up with. He nods along with it as it is foolproof. She mentioned that their child could be adopted by his guild when their time comes.

"You're really smart, Mel."

"Why thank you, Will. What do you think of my decision?"

"I will go by it. I will say the spell before you lay them to rest."

She leads him back to the wires. "It's by your right foot."

He picks them up and re-tools the song to include Mel's wishes. He strums a powerful chord that sends out magic into the air.  Flecks of blue, yellow, orange, red, white, and green sparkle in the air. The undead groan from the spectacle of it.

"Cosmos and magic, listen to my will,
I ask of you a great wish to fulfill.
Change my Melody back to human form,
Let my wish come true after I perform

I offer half of my long life,
To make dreams come true for my lovely wife.
May this spell activate upon a lover's kiss,
Let our feelings run wild so nothing's amiss

May she see when my time will come,
As our locked lips murmur and hum.
Retain her powerful might,
For I love a woman who can fight

When my life is destined to be over,
May our deaths unite like a four-leaf clover.
I pray the end of our lives together,
Be peaceful as a fluttering feather.

Cosmos and magic, listen to William Bennett,
For I am glad that we have both met."

The magic that spilled out flows into his body. The outline of his body emits a bright gentle glow of rainbow light. He puts away the silver wires and walks over to Melody. His leg gets embraced by a running Emilia. She takes his hand and has him touch her skull.

"I'm going to miss you too, Emilia. Thanks for giving me company."

She lets go and returns to her father.

Melody takes him by the hand and leads him to her room. She waves her hand, and all of her undead citizens follow them. She opens the door and commands Hector to come inside. She lets go of Will to embrace Hector.

"I'm happy for you, mi reina."

"Continue to keep them safe. I will be with you when it's time."

"As you wish."

She summons the grimoire into her hands and finds the spell. She stretches a shaking hand out with welled up eyes. She then feels the arms of her future husband softly wrapping around her waist. Her heart steadies from his touch.

"I love you all. Reposar en paz (Rest in Peace)."

An emission of gentle darkness pours from her hand through the skeletons like a river. There's no pain as the bones evaporate from the darkness, leaving their souls to be seen.

"We love you!" the souls shout in unison before vanishing to the afterlife. Her body slumps back against the bard's body. Her inhales and exhales akin to breathing through a straw. Will quickly lays her in bed and doesn't waste any time. His fingers find her skeletal jawbone and soft lips. 

He kisses with all the passion he has for her. Warmth mixes with freezing from their locked lips. Her magenta eyes see the magic around him flowing into her mouth. Because of the spell, she finds the strength to place a hand on the back of his head. Murmurs and tongues begin to dance between their mouths.

Despite the pleasure, Mel keeps her eyes open. She notices the ends of her white hair return to a silky black.

He breaks the kiss to focus on her neck. A pleasurable chill travels through her body. "What color are your eyes again?"

"Magenta, like the smell of a ruby wine," she breathes with the anticipation to hear his words. He "looks" at her face.

"Your eyes are like a wine that I'm addicted to. I wish I can just drink you in to quell these urges I have for you."

She takes his hands and puts his fingers on the corners of her mouth. "Drink me and I will satisfy," he feels the corners of her mouth curl upward. He smiles back and goes back to locking lips with her.

Her greenish skin slowly returns to caramel. Exposed bone is covered by the renewed skin.

Her eyes widen from seeing a number floating above his head. Her eyes focus on that large number that dwindles down with the speed of a falling rock. The new number settles in place which she keeps in mind before it disappears from sight.

The bard's body collapses on top of her with his head near hers. He couldn't find the strength to even lift a finger or toe. His heart rate slowed considerably. Eyelids getting heavier and heavier. Even then, he turns his head to kiss Melody on the cheek.

"Did it work, Mel?" he sleepily asks.

She takes his hand to feel the soft skin of her jawline. He weakly smiled that the spell brought her back.

"I have your number as well." She whispers it into his ear.

"I like that number," he lightly chuckles.

"Rest now. I love you."

"Te amo, Melody."

Her eyes sparkle that he said it in her language. She moves his body with ease to where his head could sleep on her chest. He nuzzles against his favorite pillows to her amusement.

With a quick pull, she gets the blanket out from under them and covers them with it. She softly wraps her arms around his head and brushes her reformed hands through his hair. The sensation lulls him to a light snore. The former Skeleton Queen closes her eyes as her new life begins now.

----

The early sun rises with the kingdom gate lowered down. Blue bell flowers and new grass sprout from the ground...

Hoove steps come to a halt.

After tying her horse to the tree sprouting new blades of leaves, the warrior analyzes the surroundings as it doesn't match the reports of what she received. There was no fog nor a creepy feeling of dread around the place. Even still, she draws out her axe.

"Please be alive, Will," Bumva the Brutal whispers.