One irresponsible thing with no consequences

*slight smile*

I'm tempted to copy Jareth's response. Snag my Lady and lock her in a tower until she comes to her senses. It's a good plan. It would keep her safe and make her behave and keep her away from the various and sundry beings trying to make it into her bed. But unlike the esteemed Goblin King, I couldn't stand the temper tantrum she would throw should I do such a thing. I can't abide seeing her that unhappy. And my ears couldn't take the shrieking curses. Her vocabulary is...vast.

But I would have kissed her there, in the middle of Loki's dancefloor. Not the slight brush of lips we exchanged, but a true kiss. One to remind her. One to claim her. One to leave my mark so it was me she thought of that night, not the boy.

Or perhaps I would have taken the boy away somewhere. Made him forget her. He's a pretty little alien, worthy of my attention. Worthy of hers. Power there, strong and true. I would have taken him had the Sorcerer and his Lady not intervened.

So therein is the true answer. Separate them. My Lady and the boy. Push them apart. Take one or the other and make them forget. Take them both and keep them in separate rooms, separate realms. I made her forget her life with me. I can make her forget this life. Ensorcel her until she sees only me. Remembers only me. Loves only me. No other Sorcerer. No sweet boy. I could do it easily. Wipe them all from her mind with a thought from mine. Bind her to me so that she would never stray, never see another, never...want another the way she wants the boy and Him.

But were I to do so, she wouldn't be my Etain. My Keelia. No Lady, but a slave. No thought of her own, and thus no mind of her own. A pleasant creature in my Lady's shape. No true love. Mine, but not by choice.

And that would be an inherent consequence far greater than any vengeance her friends might wreak on me should I do such a thing to her. I love all of her, and to change her, to do that to her again...

I did it once, for her own sake. To let her be free and happy. I will not do such a thing to her for naught but my own fleeting victory. The loss would be too great in the end.

Most Treasured Possession

She smiled up at me with blue eyes dancing with laughter, and then she took off down the boardwalk. Her feet flew in the wheeled boots. She could even turn in them, which she did, moving backward and beckoning me to join her.

I tried. Very hard. And fell. I got back up. I fell again. It was humiliating and pathetic and she laughed. But her laughter wasn't cruel. She moved back to me and helped me up. Her arms slid around my waist, steadying me. She moved to take my hands in hers, moving backward and pulling me with her. One foot at a time, slowly. She taught me patiently. Everytime she let go, I fell. And everytime she helped me back up. It took all day, but when the sun started to set on the horizon, we moved hand and hand through the crowd. I didn't use any magic. I did it her way. We got a ... I believe it was called a snowcone from a vendor and continued to skate.

She told me stories about her childhood, things that made her her. The stars came out before we made it back to the bike. We had to return the boots, unfortunately. But before we left the boardwalk we went into this tiny booth. She smiled and put money in, and then told me to smile and look into the box. There was light and it flashed. I was startled, but she just laughed and kissed me.

"It's just a photograph, Midir."

She kissed me again, soft and tender and mine as the lights flashed. The next people banged on the booth, demanding we leave. She smiled and pulled me back out. A few minutes later a strip came out of the mouth of the machine. Four reproductions--pictures--of us. I looked startled in the first one, but the last three... She took the top two, and gave me the bottom ones to keep.

And so I hold it. Her. In my arms. Frozen there for all eternity. No matter what comes, I have that moment, tangible and real.