Dusting her hands off, she stared at him as he righted himself on the tree. “If such a woman exists, I pray that she must never suffer the displeasure of meeting you.”
Elias barked another laugh as Eleanor walked inside, closing the door behind her.
The emptiness of the cottage did not suit it. Not when it should have been filled with Osiris’ shadows and his scent.
Seeking out anything that was him, Eleanor threw herself onto the bed, nestling her face into the pillow.
When will Osiris be home?
Eleanor’s eyesfluttered open as the feeling of something playing with her hair grew stronger, as if someone was twirling a lock of hair around their finger.
Opening her eyes fully, directly in front of her was one of Osiris’ shadows.
Eleanor’s lips twitched up as she lifted herself to sit on the edge of the bed. One quick look around the cottage confirmed that Osiris was not inside. Still, he was here. Lifting her fingers to hover in front of it, his shadows began to twirl around them, eventually making their way up her arm.
The shadow tightened slightly, giving her arm a quick tug until she stood up fully, only to leave her arm to wrap around her lower waist.
“You are awfully excited,” Eleanor whispered as she allowed the shadow to guide her to the table where a white dress had been laid out for her.
“You want me to change?”
In response, the shadow snaked up her back, flicking the shoulder of her dress off. A thrill rushed down her spine as her heartbeat picked up pace, nearly drowning out all other sound.
Eleanor carefully removed the other shoulder of the blue dress Osiris had bought her, letting the fabric slip to the floor.
His shadow moved to pick up the dress, handing it to her. She was completely exposed. If Osiris walked in, he would see her.
But that only made her excitement run deeper.
Carefully, as she pulled on the new dress, his shadow once again wrapped around her waist as it led her to the door.
Pulling it open, she was met with a dark open field, lit by hundreds of fireflies dancing under the light of the full moon. But what caught her attention, was the man standing across from her, with fire in his eyes as he looked only at her.
“Osiris,” Eleanor whispered.
Upon hearing her voice Osiris straightened his back and held out his hand for her to take. Her heart skipped at least three beats as she noticed the full suit he wore. Looking down at her white dress—was this… was he…
“Eleanor,” Osiris began, his voice straining for confidence as his fire dimmed slightly. “I was hoping, or I was thinking, that perhaps, if you were interested in me—not inme—”
Osiris played with something in his hands. When her eyes dropped from his gaze to look at what it was, pressure built behind her eyes as she tried her hardest to not cry.He had a music box, painted with pumpkins and vines. At the very center was her in a white dress, dancing with him, surrounded by shadows.
“Of course I am not saying you will beinterestedin me,” he continued to ramble, “what I mean is,” Osiris released a deep breath. “Eleanor. Would you care to dance with me?” Before she could answer he continued to ramble, causing Eleanor’s cheeks to burn as she looked at her Horseman. “You did not get to dance in the human village, at least not because you wanted to. So, only if you want to, I would like to dance with you. It is fortunately one of the few things I still remember from before I lost my head,” he said with a chuckle, still holding his hand out between them. “Of course, if you do not want to,” he began, his shoulders sagging as his flames dimmed even further, “then we may do something else that you would find enjoyable, like—”
“Dance with me, Horseman,” Eleanor whispered.
Eleanor squealed as his shadows shot out, grabbing her and pulling her forward with enough force, that before she could stop herself, she was pressed against Osiris’ chest.
Osiris’ hands hovered over her slightly as she stood up fully.
“It is alright if you are nervous, Osiris, just being here with you makes me happy,” she reminded him, surprised at her own admission, but unable to deny it any longer.She had come to trust him, to care for him. She had come to yearn for him.
Looking back at her life before, she realized how dull it was. Osiris had filled her days with a brightness that she did not know she desired.
Osiris nodded as his flames returned. Slowly, his shadows moved away with his music box as Osiris grabbed one of her hands with his, placing the other on her waist as a melody began to fill the forest around their hidden cottage.
Their own hidden piece of home.
Their bodies swayed and rocked around the field.
