text: In the quiet confines of his realm, a king sat in the dark and listened to the wails of the frigid wind against his window. A dark shadow hovered by his shoulder; it's icy tendrils brushed at the nape of his neck. "Sire," it's raspy voice breathed against his ear "She is late. She has broken her vow." "She will arrive, like she always does." he replied. A noise akin to a smirk was heard in response. "She might not this time, you can never tell with females. Their hearts are fickle and so easily influenced." "You don't know her." he said quietly, "She'll be here. She has always kept her word." He stands and walks to the window. The wind has died down and a hush has descended. "YOU don't know her." mocked the demon, "She has been biding her time and waiting for her chance to leave you. She is unhappy here." He pauses as he walks towards the door, not looking back at the demon he asks "Has she said anything to that effect?" The demon smiles as he feeds off the wisp of the man's self doubt. "She doesn't have to. If you've been paying attention, you would see her sadness when your back is turned, you want her all to yourself yet you lack the ability to make her feel like she truly matters to you. You are hopeless and she shall soon leave you for another." The man turns slightly towards the demon, barely realizing that the shadow has grown larger after feeding off his insecurity. "That isn't true," he said with a slight shake of his head. "She loves me." with that said, he walks out the door and down the cold stone steps leading to the gateway of his realm "what do you know anyway." "I know will she say anything to get you to trust her so that she can make her escape." taunted the demon who was now on sitting on his shoulder. "Let's not forget that I know you Sire. I know you best of all and I know you are not what she needs." hissed the demon. "She doesn't need this bleak and cold realm as a home," the demon continued "she doesn't need a battle scarred husk of a man. She deserves better and you know I am right." The man pauses as he reaches the foot of the stairs. The weight on his shoulders heavy, as his self doubts slowly begin to give way to other darker thoughts. The demon rubs his hands in anticipation as tendrils of his cold shadow slowly and teasingly wrap itself around the man's heart, ready to take and devour until he is consumed into nothingness. As the doubts and fear slowly form in the king's mind, salvation arrives in the form of a woman walking into the gateway of the realm in a flood of warmth and sunshine. Seeing the man before her, her eyes light up in recognition and she launches herself straight into his arms. "My love!" she squeals in delight as she wraps her arms around his neck and embraces him with all her strength. All at once, her warmth crashes into him like waves and the cold tendrils of ice building around his heart shatter as he hears her musical laughter while he holds her close. "I've missed you," she says, enveloped in his arms. "So did I" he whispers into her hair. Pulling away slightly, she looks deep into his eyes and sees traces of his battle with the demon. Placing her warm hands on either side of his head, she rests her forehead against his and whispers "I am home my king. Nothing will ever stop me from returning to you. I love you beyond all the existing realms in the universe." The king smiles and whispers back "Welcome home my queen." Tilting her chin back he leans in and kisses her deeply. As he does so, his demon slithers into the far recesses of the shadows, defeated by the light of love that calmed the king's thoughts. Outside, the bitter cold has ceased and world is awash in an golden warmth. In the quiet realm, the king sits on his throne, reunited with his queen in his arms.