Chapter 10: A Bittersweet Happy Ending

Paul ignored the curious glances, as he carried Leda through the halls of the Jovian palace. Elara followed, leaving Caitlyn, Lysia, and the others to give the account of the battle. Quickly, they arrived at Leda's chambers. As they entered, Elara locked the door.

Paul gently placed Leda on her bed, coaxing her to sit on the edge. His heart broke as he noticed the river of tears flowing down her face. Elara quietly crossed the room and knelt beside the bed.

"Paul, will you leave for a little while?" Elara asked softly.

Paul gaped at her. "What?"

"Let me give Leda a quick exam," she explained. "I will come and get you as soon as I can."

Paul studied Leda, debating whether he should leave her with Elara. Leda wiped most of the tears from her cheeks, trying to regain some of her composure. She smiled weakly at Paul.

"I'll be fine, Paul," she said much too calmly. "I'll make sure that Elara gets you, when she's done."

Elara nodded solemnly, her eyes begging Paul to leave. He glanced from Elara to her sister one more time. Sighing, he relented.

"Make sure someone comes for me," he said, kissing Leda on the forehead. "I will be in my room."

With another glance at Leda, Paul left the room. Halfway down the hall, he heard the door lock. With a bitter sigh, Paul headed for his room, worrying about Leda each and every step of the way.

* * * * *

With great care, Elara locked the door, ensuring privacy. She returned to the bed and sat down beside her sister, who was staring off into space. 'What's wrong,' Elara wondered.

"What's going on?" Elara asked, hugging her sister with one arm. Immediately, through the touch, Elara received a shock. She pulled back in shock, now knowing what was wrong with her sister.

"Oh, Leda," she whispered. Leda turned to her sister, a curious expression on her face. "Leda, why?"

Leda gave a bitter grin. "I had to, Elara. For the future."

"I don't understand."

"I had to protect the future," Leda began, sighing. "There is a possibility that the prophecy is a cycle. It could be that after so many generations another set of twins are born to the Royal House of Cignus, another Child of Light and another Child of Darkness."

"You're not serious, Leda," Elara said in disbelief.

"I don't know, Elara," Leda replied, shaking her head. "I couldn't take that chance. If there was another Child of Darkness, then there would have to be another warrior and another battle. I couldn't let that happen to someone else. I'm the last of my father's bloodline, the last of the Royal House of Cignus."

"What make you think of this?"

"Scylla," Leda answered. "Before she died and I transformed, she asked me to break the cycle."

"And you did," Elara whispered, shocked.

Leda looked at her. "Elara, I had to. It was the only choice."

"But it so permanent," Elara protested.

"I couldn't take the chance of me changing my mind," Leda countered. "It was the only way I saw of ending all of this." Groaning, Leda massaged her temples.

Elara watched her sister in disbelief. Finally the silence, and the unknowing, wore on her.

"Are you going to tell Paul?" Elara asked hesitantly.

"Of course, I will," Leda answered, offended at the question. "I can't keep something like this from him or from everyone else." She paused. "At least there is some good news."

"Really?"

Leda smiled. "Yes, the Guardians will now have normal lives. They can enjoy what they were denied by duty so long ago."

"Leda, I don't understand."

Leda smiled broadened slightly. "I know, Elara. But I will tell you everything some other time. Will you go get Paul now? He must be nearly mad."

Elara gazed at her sister with the up most respect, marveling at the strength she possessed. 'If I am ever half the woman she is,' Elara thought, but stopped. She hugged Leda and headed for the door.

"You are, Elara," Leda called.

"What?" Elara turned from the door, perplexed.

"Don't worry, you are."

"How did you . . ." Elara stammered.

"I have known you long enough, Elara," Leda said. "I'm proud to have you as a sister."

"I'm honored to have you as my sister," Elara stated, a blush flooding her cheeks. "I'd better go get Paul."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

Paul knocked softly before entering the room. He opened the door and closed it, making sure to lock it. Wordlessly, he sat down on the bed beside Leda.

"There's something I have to tell," she said, looking at him.

"Okay," he replied hesitantly.

"You know that I love you," Leda began.

"I love you, too."

"But I'm not going to use that against you or blackmail you."

"What?!" Paul cried.

"Please, just hear me out," Leda begged. Sighing, Paul waited for the rest.

"There is a possibility that the prophecy that I fulfilled is a cycle. There is a chance that in future generations this may all be repeated. I couldn't take that chance. I am the last of the line of the Royal House of Cignus. There will never be another Child of Light or another Child of Darkness."

"What are you saying?"

Leda sighed, looking out the window. "When I stepped into the circle, the Guardians used their powers on me." She paused, gathering her courage. "I am the last of my father's bloodline, and I will be the last."

"Leda," Paul said, reaching to hug her.

Leda held up her hand. "I lost my ability to have children to protect the future, but I made that choice permanently. You didn't. You deserve to have dozens of children, Paul. Please, don't let me hold you back."

Paul stared at her in complete disbelief. "Leda, I love you, now and forever. After all we have been through, after all the hardships, I am not going to give up on us," he said with resolution. "Okay, we won't have children. Leda, there is much more to love than that."

"Don't trivialize this, Paul!" Leda cried, leaving the bed and walking to the window. "I know how much you have dreamed about having a big family, after growing up alone. Don't let your feelings for me ruin that."

"I have more than just feelings for you, Leda," Paul said, rising from the bed. Leda turned, watching him with questioning eyes.

"Those dreams of having a big family included you," he explained, absently running a hand through his hair. "They've always have. Without you, the dreams don't mean anything."

He walked over to her, taking her hands in his. "I am willing to offer everything I have for you, including my life if necessary. I have almost lost you so many times, that I am eternally grateful for each moment that we have together. If we don't have a family, that's fine. All that matters to me, Leda, is that I get to spend my life with you."

Tears poured down her face as she realized how truthful his words were. "Oh, Paul," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

He immediately hugged her, trying to soothe her. "Leda, there is nothing to apologize for."

"I love you," she whispered, her tears drying on his shirt.

Paul tipped her chin up, staring into her damp, gray eyes. "I love you, too. Now and forever." Then he drew her closer for a kiss.


A Bittersweet Happy Ending Paul ignored the curious glances, as he carried Leda through the halls of the Jovian palace. Elara followed, leaving Caitlyn, Lysia, and the others to give the account of the battle. Quickly, they arrived at Leda's chambers. As they entered, Elara locked the door. Paul gently placed Leda on her bed, coaxing her to sit on the edge. His heart broke as he noticed the river of tears flowing down her face. Elara quietly crossed the room and knelt beside the bed. "Paul, will you leave for a little while?" Elara asked softly. Paul gaped at her. "What?" "Let me give Leda a quick exam," she explained. "I will come and get you as soon as I can." Paul studied Leda, debating whether he should leave her with Elara. Leda wiped most of the tears from her cheeks, trying to regain some of her composure. She smiled weakly at Paul. "I'll be fine, Paul," she said much too calmly. "I'll make sure that Elara gets you, when she's done." Elara nodded solemnly, her eyes begging Paul to leave. He glanced from Elara to her sister one more time. Sighing, he relented. "Make sure someone comes for me," he said, kissing Leda on the forehead. "I will be in my room." With another glance at Leda, Paul left the room. Halfway down the hall, he heard the door lock. With a bitter sigh, Paul headed for his room, worrying about Leda each and every step of the way. * * * * * With great care, Elara locked the door, ensuring privacy. She returned to the bed and sat down beside her sister, who was staring off into space. 'What's wrong,' Elara wondered. "What's going on?" Elara asked, hugging her sister with one arm. Immediately, through the touch, Elara received a shock. She pulled back in shock, now knowing what was wrong with her sister. "Oh, Leda," she whispered. Leda turned to her sister, a curious expression on her face. "Leda, why?" Leda gave a bitter grin. "I had to, Elara. For the future." "I don't understand." "I had to protect the future," Leda began, sighing. "There is a possibility that the prophecy is a cycle. It could be that after so many generations another set of twins are born to the Royal House of Cignus, another Child of Light and another Child of Darkness." "You're not serious, Leda," Elara said in disbelief. "I don't know, Elara," Leda replied, shaking her head. "I couldn't take that chance. If there was another Child of Darkness, then there would have to be another warrior and another battle. I couldn't let that happen to someone else. I'm the last of my father's bloodline, the last of the Royal House of Cignus." "What make you think of this?" "Scylla," Leda answered. "Before she died and I transformed, she asked me to break the cycle." "And you did," Elara whispered, shocked. Leda looked at her. "Elara, I had to. It was the only choice." "But it so permanent," Elara protested. "I couldn't take the chance of me changing my mind," Leda countered. "It was the only way I saw of ending all of this." Groaning, Leda massaged her temples. Elara watched her sister in disbelief. Finally the silence, and the unknowing, wore on her. "Are you going to tell Paul?" Elara asked hesitantly. "Of course, I will," Leda answered, offended at the question. "I can't keep something like this from him or from everyone else." She paused. "At least there is some good news." "Really?" Leda smiled. "Yes, the Guardians will now have normal lives. They can enjoy what they were denied by duty so long ago." "Leda, I don't understand." Leda smiled broadened slightly. "I know, Elara. But I will tell you everything some other time. Will you go get Paul now? He must be nearly mad." Elara gazed at her sister with the up most respect, marveling at the strength she possessed. 'If I am ever half the woman she is,' Elara thought, but stopped. She hugged Leda and headed for the door. "You are, Elara," Leda called. "What?" Elara turned from the door, perplexed. "Don't worry, you are." "How did you . . ." Elara stammered. "I have known you long enough, Elara," Leda said. "I'm proud to have you as a sister." "I'm honored to have you as my sister," Elara stated, a blush flooding her cheeks. "I'd better go get Paul." "Thanks." * * * * * Paul knocked softly before entering the room. He opened the door and closed it, making sure to lock it. Wordlessly, he sat down on the bed beside Leda. "There's something I have to tell," she said, looking at him. "Okay," he replied hesitantly. "You know that I love you," Leda began. "I love you, too." "But I'm not going to use that against you or blackmail you." "What?!" Paul cried. "Please, just hear me out," Leda begged. Sighing, Paul waited for the rest. "There is a possibility that the prophecy that I fulfilled is a cycle. There is a chance that in future generations this may all be repeated. I couldn't take that chance. I am the last of the line of the Royal House of Cignus. There will never be another Child of Light or another Child of Darkness." "What are you saying?" Leda sighed, looking out the window. "When I stepped into the circle, the Guardians used their powers on me." She paused, gathering her courage. "I am the last of my father's bloodline, and I will be the last." "Leda," Paul said, reaching to hug her. Leda held up her hand. "I lost my ability to have children to protect the future, but I made that choice permanently. You didn't. You deserve to have dozens of children, Paul. Please, don't let me hold you back." Paul stared at her in complete disbelief. "Leda, I love you, now and forever. After all we have been through, after all the hardships, I am not going to give up on us," he said with resolution. "Okay, we won't have children. Leda, there is much more to love than that." "Don't trivialize this, Paul!" Leda cried, leaving the bed and walking to the window. "I know how much you have dreamed about having a big family, after growing up alone. Don't let your feelings for me ruin that." "I have more than just feelings for you, Leda," Paul said, rising from the bed. Leda turned, watching him with questioning eyes. "Those dreams of having a big family included you," he explained, absently running a hand through his hair. "They've always have. Without you, the dreams don't mean anything." He walked over to her, taking her hands in his. "I am willing to offer everything I have for you, including my life if necessary. I have almost lost you so many times, that I am eternally grateful for each moment that we have together. If we don't have a family, that's fine. All that matters to me, Leda, is that I get to spend my life with you." Tears poured down her face as she realized how truthful his words were. "Oh, Paul," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry." He immediately hugged her, trying to soothe her. "Leda, there is nothing to apologize for." "I love you," she whispered, her tears drying on his shirt. Paul tipped her chin up, staring into her damp, gray eyes. "I love you, too. Now and forever." Then he drew her closer for a kiss.


Jupiter's Gone