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What happened on the bridge between worlds remains largely a mystery to most who would ask, and of the Catacombs themselves, who can say? Perhaps our curiosity got the better of us that day, perhaps not; you won’t hear anything about it from me! All that really mattered to us at the time was the need to get home, to sleep, to make love, to take care of ourselves, and lastly to forget.

To get on with our lives.

That seemed to be the thought on everyone’s minds after the events of that day. Life would go on, but it would never be the same again. Some had more challenges to face than others, though we were lucky in that regard, Shadow and I.

We still had each other.

When we finally returned home I must have slept for two days straight, Shadow curled up with me in my arms. I woke up one morning and found that she was not there. Investigating further, I discovered (to my delight) the smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen and upon entering; I discovered her sharing some tea over breakfast with my parents. I sat down beside her and she wrapped he tail around my calf under the table, as she always had.

I knew then, that we had found our new normal.

Our better normal.

-VI-
By Starlight

“See Dad? I told you it wouldn’t be that bad!” Tim laughs as his father manages to set foot on the ground, after finally squeezing through the slit-like hole near the top of the tiny alcove beneath his bed.
Shadow bobs her head and giggles. “Good job, Mr. Newton!”
Thomas sighs, and adjusts his shirt pulling it back down into place. “It’d be easier if I wasn’t lugging all this camera equipment myself, you know?” He shifts his equipment duffel that hung down at his side, and quickly inspects the camera dangling from a strap around his neck.
Tim grins and shrugs at him.
Ruth, who had opted once again to take on her more familiar human guise; leans in close to her husband and straightens out his tie for him, just like she always did. “There you go dear, now you look just perfect! Now let’s get moving, we don’t want to be late!” She gives him a quick kiss, and he smiles, raising his eyebrows, after she turns and primly makes her way down the narrow steps. He follows after her like a giddy school boy.
Tim grins and shakes his head as he watches them head down into the Dark Passage, then turns his full attention to Shadow beside him. “Well, shall we?” He offers her is arm.
She combs a length of stray hair out of her face and tucks it behind her ear-fin, then accepts his arm graciously. “By all means, lets not keep them waiting!”
They walk down the steps together, arm in arm, and join up with Tim’s parents who are waiting at the bottom.
Today was a very special occasion, everyone had been invited to attend Midnight’s official coronation as the new High-Mother, and in some respects it was the first of it’s kind. This celebration would also mark a new time of peace between the Night Sisters and the Dark Brotherhood, who had nominated their new Lord very quickly after Terminus’ death. They did not seem to miss him at all, to the surprise of no one.
Apparently, word around the realm was that Midnight and this new Lord had been in talks (which were going very well!) for the past few days, hoping to establish a more open and agreeable relationship between the two guilds. The talk of a merger may even have been whispered once or twice, if you bothered to listen long enough.
Everyone was dressed up for the occasion; Tim looked quite dapper in his formal suit, which even Shadow had to agree with, when he wouldn’t stop posing for her. A tailored black suit that fit him just right, which he had bought to look professional for wedding photography sessions and things of that nature. Underneath, he wore a deep red dress shirt; visible at the collar and cuffs of his sleeves; to match his date, he said. He wore a simple black tie, Windsor knotted all by himself, (indeed he could tie his own ties.) and finally, on his feet he wore a pair of highly-polished, black wing-tips, with pointed toes.
Shadow had dawned her usual black, low cut ghost-silk dress, wrapped her wings about her mid-section, of course, which added a splash of blood red. For a change up, over top of that she had borrowed a black, medium length light overcoat from Ruth, which had a fine lacey quality to it, and some intricate beadwork woven to it as well with wooly tassels at the bottom, (which danced around when she walked.) It tied closed only with a single knotted bow just under her bosom, which let it flow out gracefully as she moved. It looked like something that had jumped straight out of the 30’s, but it worked beautifully on Shadow. In her fiery hair, Tim’s mother had fastened a black velvet rose decoration at the last minute, which somehow really pulled the ensemble together.
The seemingly out-of-place family made their way steadily down the Dark Passageway, led happily by Shadow, who loved to play tour guide. Every once in awhile Thomas would stop a moment to investigate this or that, (as this was his first time being invited down to see the world where his wife had lived for most of her earlier years) and Shadow would gladly stop and explain what it was, if she could.
As they went, they ran into several other denizens travelling along the Dark Passage as well. They received a wide array of reactions, ranging from complete avoidance, to one occasion where a daring, yet friendly and very talkative younger member of the Dark Brotherhood moved in close to Ruth to investigate her, asking her questions until finally, he had to split off down a separate corridor with a wave good-bye; his tail running wild behind him. Ruth laughed, flattered, and wrapped her arm around her husband’s waist for the rest of the walk.
Eventually, Shadow led them out of the Dark Passage and into an open expanse, somewhat similar to the courtyard where Terminus had taken up his residence, though this new place had a much more feminine touch.
“Welcome to Sister’s Hall, residence of our High-Mother, and the place we Sisters call home.” Shadow proudly announces to the Newton’s as they walk underneath the arched entry.
Ruth lets out a refreshed sigh. “Ahh! It’s been too long! It looks just the same as I remember!”
The place was surprisingly bright, with curtains hanging down from high above, and draping into the corners. Great tapestries adorned the walls, each a different colour with a unique artistic rendition of a different winged-woman upon them. No doubt, each a past High-Mother. There was a huge central fountain system, which fed down into smaller basins here and there about the whole room, where several young women (and for today’s occasion even some young men) sat around conversing to one another, and going about their own business.
Across the way, they noticed a familiar face making her way towards them and after a moment, Nightfire greeted them with a slight bow.
“Shadow! Lady Ruthless! Friends, I’m happy you could make it!” She briefly looks Thomas over appraisingly with her eyes (especially the camera around his neck), but finds no fault with him, despite his obvious humanity. She already knew Tim, of course, and bid them enter.
“Oh, I’m no Lady, Nightfire.” Ruth backpedaled. “Just an old rogue.”
Nightfire tilts her head, her short platinum locks moving out of her face, and dawns a conspiratorial smile. “Ahh, but you’re a mother all the same, so a Lady you shall be, to me.”
“Lady Blackheart, then.” Ruth smiles back with a wink.
Nightfire bobs her head. “Actually, now that you’ve arrived; Lady Midnight would like to have a word with you, if you wouldn’t mind?” She motions to the women.
Ruth and Shadow trade a quick glance with each other.
“Of course not!” Shadow answers.
Thomas clears his throat. “Excuse me ladies, but may I get a photo before you take off?” He holds out his camera suggestively. “For posterity, of course!”
His wife smiles. “Oh! of course; for posterity!” she answers sarcastically.
Nightfire is momentarily apprehensive, but nods and gets in close to Ruth, who puts a friendly arm around her shoulders.
“Stick ‘em out, girls!” Ruth jokes, which earns her a sheepish grin from both Shadow and Nightfire.
Thomas shakes his head and takes a shot. “Ohhkay then! Very nice! Thank you, ladies.”
“You’ve welcome, dear! It’s just a shame you’ll never be able to show anyone.”
Thomas shrugs with a playful snicker. “It’s okay, I’ve got a whole binder FULL of these shots at home. I’m used to it!”
Tim and Shadow look at each other and crack up.
Ruth blushes heavily and gives him the look, as she runs her fingers absentmindedly through her hair. “Thomas!”
“Bye dear! Have fun visiting!” He grins at her cheekily.
Ruth crinkles up her nose at him in a cutesy manner. “Okay, let’s go see the High-Mother-to-be!” then she turns back and addresses her son. “And Tim, please, don’t go running off on your own and almost getting yourself killed, okay? Will you listen to your poor mother?”
Tim ducks his head between his shoulders with a bashful smile. “I’ll try not to, but I can’t promise anything!”
“Stay! Good boy!” Shadow puts her arm around his back and gives him a peck on the cheek.
Thomas snaps a photo of them.
The three women take off, leaving father and son behind with a bag of camera equipment.
“Well, we might as well start setting up!” Thomas says to his son.

------

Midnight seemed to be beside herself with worry as Nightfire led Shadow and Ruth into the soon-to-be High-Mother’s chambers and excused herself, leaving them alone together. Shadow immediately went to her best friend’s side to offer her support.
“Midnight, what’s wrong? You look like a nervous wreck!” Shadow exclaimed as she sunk down beside her.
Midnight was perched on a cushioned stool, looking at herself in a full-length mirror set on the wall. She had changed into a long flowing robe that seemed to be something she had discovered among Lady Moonlight’s possessions upon moving into this suite. It was very beautiful on her. Across her lap, she held a hairbrush in her hand, though had not seemed to have actually used it yet. She held her wings out stiffly, and uncertainly, and her tail looked as though it had been frozen stiff and straight.
She looked from the mirror and down at her friend with round-eyed terror. “Shadow! I’m not sure I can go through with this!”
Shadow smiled. “Of course you can! What are you talking about?” She put her hand on Midnight’s hand and held it lightly.
“Just look at me, I’m practically ready to jump out of my skin! I don’t have any of the grace Mother had, and-” Midnight stopped herself in mid-thought, and looked back at the mirror. “Well, just look at me!”
Shadow patted her friend’s hand and then relieved her of the hairbrush. “Your just getting the jitters, that all! You’re gonna be awesome!” she stood then, and ran the hairbrush experimentally through Midnight’s short black hair.
Midnight exhaled through her nose and seemed to begin to relax a bit, as she took some solace in the company of her close friend. The cathartic brushing rhythm helped to sooth her ragged nerves as well.
Ruth smiled at the two friends from the doorway. “You’ll do just fine Midnight! Everyone must start from somewhere, and your worries will vanish in time, I guarantee it.”
Midnight looked at the reflection of Ruth in the mirror. “Maybe, I just seem so… wrong, for the part, I suppose?”
Shadow shot Ruth a worried frown in the mirror, then went back to concentrating on her friend’s hair. She had decided to give Midnight some light curls by spinning the brush outwards at the ends of her hair. It was a striking look, sure to turn the heads of any warm-blooded Brothers that may have been in attendance. Midnight did not seem displeased, her tail curled happily behind her.
Ruth chuckles lightly. “You remind me so much of Moonlight, when she was your age. Back then, she was a brash young thing, who was prone to run at the mouth, often without thinking first; which landed her in trouble many times with Lady Nightshade. However Nightshade must have seen something in her, indeed, as they saw so much of each other, back then.”
Shadow laughs. “Hah, that’s Midnight alright.”
Midnight blushes, and sticks her tongue out at her in the mirror.
Ruth continues. “What I’m saying is that Lady Moonlight turned out alright, and so will you. Your spirit will only help you in the long run. Your grace will come with time.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Ruthless. I feel much better now.”
“It’s not a problem, dear, and please call me Ruth. And certainly not Lady!”
Midnight smiles brightly, clearly enamored at Ruth’s familiarity with her. “Actually, Ruth, if you wouldn’t mind I have something else I would like to discuss with you. Concerning the ceremony?”
“Sure.” Ruth consented, with a curious tilt of her head.
Midnight swiveled around on the stool and dug her hand deep into the pocket of her robe, pulling out her silver Motherhood Pendant, which she dangled at the end of it’s chain. “I would be honored if it would be you who might present this to me, during the ceremony, that is.” She ended her request with an tiny awkward smile.
Ruth came away from the door and went to Midnight’s side where she scooped up the silver pendant in her hand. Its intricacies shimmered in her hand as it rolled around in the light. “It would be my pleasure, dear!”
Midnight relinquished her grasp on the chain and Ruth bent down to her where they shared a short friendly hug. They separated from each other smiling.

------

Shadow returned to the main courtyard of Sister’s Hall, leaving Midnight and Ruth to attend to some business pertaining to the ceremony, and found Timothy busily setting up an adjustable tripod for his father’s camcorder, with which they were going to be recording the upcoming ceremony. At least; he was attempting to set it up.
A group of young children had curiously gathered to check out the human; no doubt, this may have been their first encounter with one as they were still too young to join a guild proper.
Shadow kept well away, leaning up against the wall of a tall fountain watching with a grin.
Tim worked away all the while, seemingly without paying them much attention. The kids snuck in closer and closer until finally Tim reared up from his work with a jokey ‘Raaawr!’ complete with his hands up making ‘threatening claws’ with his round human fingers.
The group of kids jumped and giggled, running in circles around him as he began to slowly meander after them. Eventually, Tim caught one in his arms and swooshed the child up tickling them, until the kid let out a wail of childish laughter. Tim was having just as much fun as the kids.
“He seems to be handling the children quite well.” Came a sudden voice from Shadow’s periphery.
She glanced behind her, and there stood a middle-aged, yet rather handsome, elegantly dressed Dark Brother whom had not been there a moment ago, or so she had thought. “Yes, he is, isn’t he?” Looking back at Tim he was now on the ground with the children crawling all over him hooting and laughing. Seeing him, there was a warm fluttering sensation deep within her then, and she couldn’t help but let an equally warm smile melt across her face.
Again the man, just behind her left shoulder now. “He’s quite the catch, I’d hold onto him if I were you!”
Shadow blinked and regarded the man over her shoulder. “Your not ‘offended’ by his humanity?”
He smiled then. “Offended? Don’t be silly. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories.”
“I think you have it backwards.”
The man shrugged. “Do I? Well, who’s to say Beauty could not be the Beast, Hmm?”
Shadow rounded fully towards the man now, regarding him with growing curiosity. “It’s a human story, how do you even know about that? Who are you anyway?”
He put a claw to his forehead. “Ahh, silly me! I forget myself sometimes. I’m still quite new to this entire thing, you see! My name is Lord Mortis, freshly anointed High-Father of the Dark Brotherhood, at your service!” He bows to her briefly.
“Lord Mortis? Ohh!” Shadow bows back hurriedly. “I’m sorry! I had no idea, your grace.”
Lord Mortis touched her shoulder gently. “Now now, please just call me Mortis, I’m not fond of such honoraries. I like to think I’m no better than anyone else.”
Shadow laughed. “How refreshing!”
An easy smile grazed Mortis’ lips. “Well, my Brothers certainly thought so.” Then he winked. “Terminus was not well loved, not even by his own Brotherhood. His ascension to command was highly dubious to begin with.”
Shadow withdraws and wraps her arms around herself at the mention of Terminus. She could still feel his hands wrapped around her throat.
The High-Father frowned. “I’m sorry; it must be hard for you. All you’ve been through recently.”
Shadow nods distantly; only half listening, and then shakes her head. “No, it’s really not. Not really. Terminus was an awful man, and I’m glad he’s gone.”
Mortis leans in closer. “Well, I hope I can put you at ease. I wish you have nothing but good fortune, Shadow. In all of your future endeavors.”
Shadow smiles meekly, wondering what he meant by that.
The children squealed delightedly, drawing Shadow’s attention away from the new Lord for a moment. She catches them just as they run off; apparently satisfied by their first human encounter, leaving Tim alone to get back to his work.
Glancing back to Lord Mortis behind her, she discovers that he has vanished without a trace. “Oh, he’s good.” She remarks admirably, having fallen victim to a perfectly timed ‘phantom exit’ technique.
Taking her leave of the fountain where she now stood alone, she went to Tim’s side as he kneeled down setting the tripod into its position. “How’s work going?”
Tim shot a friendly look her way as he stood again; attaching a mini camcorder to the tripod’s apex. “Hey, Shadow! I’m just finishing up right now, actually.”
Shadow turned her waist back and forth, making the wooly tassels at the bottom of her long dress twirl around her rhythmically. She smiled at him. “Since your finished, would you care to go for a walk?”
“Sure! I’d love to!” He quickly zips up the camera bag in his hands and drops it carefully at the base of the camera setup. “That’s going to be safe here, right?”
Shadow nods. “I highly doubt anyone will touch your equipment, we don’t really have much use for it down here, anyway.”
They held hands and Shadow led Tim along. “So, how do you like Sister’s Hall?”
Tim looked around with an enthusiastic grin. “It’s really beautiful Shadow. So different from those murky caverns.”
Shadow shrugs lightly. “We do what we can to liven the place up.”
Tim looks pointedly at her, turning his wide grin on her. “So, who was the guy you were talking to just now?”
Shadow looked down at her tapered claws, as though she were checking her fingernails nonchalantly, it was a strictly human gesture that she had picked up by observation, considering she did not actually have fingernails. “Jealous?” She asked him, with a sly smirk on her face.
Tim scratched his hair with his free hand. “Well, no; not really! Should I be?”
They stopped walking. They had reached the edge of an intricately carved fountain.
Shadow turned and looked up at Tim, coyly. “Well, he is a Lord.”
“Oh! Well then!” Tim replied.
“Don’t worry; I’m not into older guys. I think you’re safe.” Shadow concluded.
Tim saw the warmth in Shadow’s eyes as she gazed at him in that moment. They joined their hands together and were just about to kiss, when a chime sounded across the courtyard, interrupting them. The coronation ceremony would be starting shortly.

------

Everyone was settling into his or her seats. Several rows of pews had seemingly been setup in the courtyard for the occasion, facing towards a small amphitheatre where Midnight’s coronation would take place.
Tim and Shadow found their seats together side by side in the front row, and as they were making themselves comfortable, Ruth appeared out of the crowd and took her seat beside Tim.
“Where’s Dad?” Tim asks her. He hadn’t seen him since he’d wandered off to look for a good place to take some pictures of the event.
“Oh, you know your father. He’s around here someplace. Just follow the flashes.”
Tim looks at his mother. “I don’t think he’ll be using flash, it’s pretty well lit in here.”
Ruth makes a ‘don’t be a smart-aleck to your mother’ face at him.
Tim grins and looks around to see what he could see. He saw that Lord guy Shadow was talking to also sitting in the front row, though several places away from them. He found Shadow’s hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze. Shadow looked at him and smiled sweetly, though somewhat distractedly, as she almost immediately went back to looking at the little stage where Midnight would be appearing soon. She was excited for her friend, Tim understood that quite well.
Suddenly, Thomas was there too. “Sorry, sorry, I was just checking the camcorder. Everything’s running smoothly. We should get the whole thing on tape!” He whispered as he took his own seat on the other side of Ruth. He had his camera ready too. No flash.
The audience grew quiet, as Midnight entered the courtyard, led to the stage by Nightfire she stepped up quickly and walked to the center, turning then to look out upon her audience. Her eyes quickly danced over the crowd, from the back to the front. Scanning the front row she smiled, seeing her friends all there to support her.
Midnight began to speak. At first, she spoke gently, wavered a moment, and stopped, clearing her throat. She looked to Ruth who waved her on subtly, with a smile and a nod. Beginning again, Midnight took a deep breath, and this time, in a clearer and more confidant manner, she took her first steps towards Motherhood.
“My friends, my children,” she folds her hands together. “Today is a special day for us. All of us! Not simply for my own Night Sisters, but also for the Dark Brotherhood as well! It is a historic day, one not seen since ages past, for today we come together to honor the memory of High-Mother Moonlight, or as she had come be known, the White Lady.”
Behind Midnight as she spoke, a new tapestry was unfurled, bright white, upon it a beautiful rendering of Lady Moonlight in silver threadwork.
“It was her sacrifice that sewed the seeds we continue to nurture today. Both of our guilds have come to face a fresh start; a new day, and on this day, with my official coronation, I pledge to all of you here today, that it would be my honor, and privilege, to strive towards a new and lasting peace.”
She stands there a moment, unsure of how to proceed, when Lord Mortis rises from his seat and claps to her enthusiastically. He grins widely and openly, as Midnight blushes and bows to him from the stage, as soon everyone joins their applause with his.
Ruth comes forward from the crowd and steps up onto the stage beside Midnight as the applause dies down. Low murmurs rose from those not privy to who she actually was, reacting mostly to seeing a mere human take the stage during such an important event. It was simply unheard of. Today really was a historic one.
Ruth bows low to Midnight, who in return bows back lower still - so low, in fact that she goes to her knees solemnly before the human woman, her eyes closed gently.
The murmurs from the crowd turn to dead silence as Ruth produces the Motherhood Pendant from her pocket and holds it out for all to see. She carefully clasps it around Midnight’s neck, and touches her on the shoulder affectionately.
Midnight opens her eyes and rises as gracefully as she can muster to her feet.
Ruth takes Midnight’s hand in her own and raises it high above her head. “I’m pleased to present to you, the beautiful Lady Midnight, your new High-Mother!”
They both bow low to the crowd together then, as once again a great applause rises from the audience, warmly congratulating Midnight on her day.
Ruth steps aside quickly and is helped off the stage by Nightfire, who had been standing watch just off to the side during the procession.
Midnight smiles out at the crowd and after a few moments she raises her hands, signaling that she was ready to speak with them once again. “Lady Moonlight was a proud woman, a strong woman, and just. She loved her children very much, and I would be honored if someday I came to be regarded as even half the Mother she had been. I should be so lucky!”
“However; Lady Moonlight was not without her faults, and it is with a heavy burden in my heart, that with my first official duty as High-Mother, I must be forced to correct a grievous oversight on her part.”
The crowd was silent then, unsure what Lady Midnight may have had in mind.
Midnight came forward to the edge of the stage, and beckoned Tim and Shadow to please rise from their seats. They did, reluctantly, as they were bidden; unsure as to what Midnight had up her sleeve.
Midnight spoke to them, alone. “My friends, please forgive me for what I must do! It grieves me to no end that I must do it, however, after much consideration, I find the bond you both share to be null and void, and I cannot officially recognize it. I am deeply sorry.”
Shadow shudders, and reaches out blindly to her side, finding Tim’s hand shoulder for support. They were both ashen.
“What are you talking about?” Shadow implores, almost on the verge of tears suddenly. “I thought… but…”
Midnight’s sorrowful expression melts away then, into the rich grin of a masterful prankster. “So, let’s make it official!” She winks playfully.
A stray tear runs down Shadow’s cheek as she looks up at her friend with surprise.
Midnight herself helps Tim up onto the stage. Tim then helps Shadow climb up in turn. Together, they circle about and gaze out over the large crowd that had gathered in the courtyard of Sister’s Hall, even beyond the arranged seats. It was a veritable sea of silent cat’s eyes staring back at them curiously.
Tim looks down and finds his parents in the front row, his mother was cupping her mouth in her hands, her eyes glazing up with tears of joy. His father snapped another photograph, as he had been doing the entire time.
Strangely, he caught they eye of Lord Mortis (though he did not actually know his name yet) who gave him the slightest nod of approval.
Tim looks at Shadow beside him and shares a smile with her. She bats gingerly at her eye, attempting to wipe away her own tears of joy and smiles back at him. He gently runs his thumb across her cheek, catching another stray.
Turning to Midnight then, they discover that she had produced a small golden knife, and a golden chalice from somewhere within the folds of her flowing dress.
A stray thought came to Tim suddenly; Midnight had come a long way since Tim had first encountered her, back when she had threatened to kill him for staining her sister’s good name. Tim grinned from ear to ear.
Midnight spoke to them, ignoring the crowd for the time being, although certainly, the rapt audience could hear every word. “Today, we are witnesses to a grand occasion! The bonding of two souls, together in life! Two souls of such incredible variation, and yet two that burn so brightly together!”
She points the tip of the knife at each of them in turn.
“As my first act, I offer you both unending prosperity in the future. A future you both will face together, now and forever! Let the bond be forged! All I require is a measure of blood.”
She offers Tim the blade of her knife.
Tim did not know the ins and outs of the ritual exactly, though from the implications of the knife and chalice (and knowing of Shadow’s scar) he knew what was expected of him. Reaching out he takes a hold of the knife’s sharp blade, and surprisingly, painlessly, his blood begins to flow.
Lady Midnight offers him the chalice next, which he gladly dribbles his blood into.
The process is repeated after the knife and chalice are turned on Shadow.
Tim and Shadow clasp their bloodied hands together between them securely, their blood mingling together right there between them, as well as in the golden cup.
Midnight raises the cup upwards and swirls it, much the same way she had watched Lady Moonlight do it so many weeks prior. From her memory, she begins to speak the old words; words she had spent half the previous night attempting to commit to memory so she might do this for her friends.
She waved the dagger back and forth over the chalice as she spoke, and where last time nothing had happened, this time there was magic.
The blood was now sparkling water, of the purest kind.
Midnight looked down into the cup in her hands, and up at Tim and Shadow, impressed with herself and somewhat amazed at the transmogrification. “You must each drink of this.”
Tim did as he was told; he took the golden chalice from Midnight and peering inside saw the water down at the bottom. He drank, and offered it to Shadow with a smile.
Shadow took the cup from him and downed the rest without even looking to see what was there. Her eyes were only for Tim then.
Midnight retrieved the chalice from Shadow’s grasp and raised it up as if in a toast. “The bond is STRONG!” She announces to the crowd, who all begin to clap surprisingly feverishly, Midnight included, for the odd couple before them.
Tim and Shadow look deeply into each other’s eyes, and share a loving kiss together right there on the stage in front of everyone. Their bond really was strong.

------

As the celebration was just getting underway, Shadow took Timothy by the hand and led him out of the crowded courtyard, away from prying eyes, and deeper into the inner chambers of Sister’s Hall to clean and take care of their matching wounds.
She led him into a fairly cramped corridor, only wide enough for two people to walk abreast of each other comfortably, and as they moved down its considerable length, Tim took notice of each doorway they passed. Simple archways carved into the walls, each seemingly unique in their own special way, personalized over time it seemed, and each sectioned off with door beads, obscuring whatever lay beyond. These rooms were the only ones Tim had noticed so far, in all of Sister’s Hall, which seemed to have an analogue for a closed door at all. These rooms were private dorms.
Shadow was taking him home.
She stops outside a particular doorway, decorated with a black and red beaded curtain, adorned here and there with ribbons and bows and looks back at Tim. “We can clean up in here. Come on in.” She said, pushing aside the beads with a light clatter.
“Alright.” Tim said, slipping past her through the door.
Shadow entered after him, the beads swaying closed behind her. As she made her way further into the room, she slid her hand gently across the back of Tim’s shoulders suggestively; looking back at him as she passed by, her eyes half-lidded.
The look she had gave Tim goose bumps, as his hair stood on end. He knew from experience what that look meant, and he buried an coy smirk.
Putting that aside, Tim looks around the room. It was cozy, actually, and not unlike a small apartment. The main room was fairly open, and had a dropped area in the middle where several large cushions were arranged. You could sit along the edge, or get very comfortable towards the center.
Shelving seemed to be built directly into the far wall, and was divided by a small doorway that led to another room beyond, most likely a bedroom. On the shelves were some ancient looking books, several thick candles, which looked as though they had seen their fair share of usage and a few other knick-knacks she had collected over the years.
He smiles to himself when he spies an old plush Freddy Krueger doll leering out from the shelf beside her bedroom door. He had given it to her years ago as a birthday present, and it was nice to know she had held onto it all these years.
“You have a really nice place here, Shadow, very comfy!” He compliments her.
Shadow had wandered over to a small basin set into a countertop along the right-hand wall of her room, and ran some water over her hands. She looked back at him, the same come-hither look set on her face. “Thank you, love; I’ve done what I can with it over the years.”
Tim goes to her then and squeezes in beside her. She yields some room, allowing him to stand shoulder to shoulder with her as he too plunges his hands into the water. It was warm. Tim would have to ask her sometime just how they managed to achieve some of the things they had. They did not seem to have electricity, and yet there were orbs of gently throbbing light illuminating the walls here and there. Tim was hard-pressed to believe they might have been magical, but in this realm anything may have been possible.
Shadow’s hands touched his own then, which drew his full attention. She delicately ran her smooth hands over his, washing away the dark line left across the palm of his hand. She worked silently and intently, and when he was clean, she clasped his hand in her own lovingly.
Grabbing a small rag from nearby, she gently dries his hands, then her own, and looks up at him. “We’ll need to bandage that, so it doesn’t get dirty.”
Tim gave her a playful nudge with his shoulder. “Do you even have bandages down here?”
Shadow cocks her head with a sly smile. “No, not exactly; but I have the next best thing.” She pulled him away from the water basin by his hand, towards the doorway to her back room. “Follow me.”
Tim laughs. “Do I even have a choice?”
“Nope!” Shadow says playfully.
She leads him through the doorway where Tim discovers that he had been right. The backroom was her bedroom. As he looked around briefly, he noticed a few black cloaks hanging on her wall, her old demon’s-mane headdress mounted on a hook as well.
There was a bed set length-wise around the corner against the wall and that was when his smile widened. Above her bed, mounted on the wall, Tim saw a fairly large collection of little fabric tubes of varied colour and designs, arranged side by side in an intricate checkerboard-like affair.

He had finally found his missing socks.

“Mom would be thrilled.” He manages, amused. “I always wondered what you did with them… for awhile I thought you might have been eating them!”
Shadow punches him lightly in the arm, and proceeds to wrap her arms about herself in defiance. “Whaaat? Ewww! No. It’s just… I…” She looks embarrassed and turns away from him. “I took them because they reminded me of you. I… didn’t know WHY at the time, but you were…. special to me. Even back then.”
Tim blushes. “It’s sweet, don’t be embarrassed.” He wraps his hands gingerly around her shoulders pulling her against him. She practically purrs in his arms and she crosses her hands across her chest, resting them on his forearms. Her tail waggles playfully between his legs.
“They really helped me out, when we were apart. They made the waiting easier.”
Tim made a reassuring sound in his chest. “You don’t have to wait anymore.”
“No; I suppose not.” She grinned in his loving embrace.
“Now, about those bandages?” Tim asked softly into her ear, which rose appreciatively at his nearness.
Reaching into her pocket, she produces another pair of socks. It was the pair he had given her the night they had first made love. She laughs. “These also make excellent bandages.”
Shadow pulls his arm down then and breaks free of his grasp, turning them both and pushing Tim gently down so that he sat down on the edge of her bed. Kneeling down in front of him, she takes his injured hand and deftly ties one of the socks firmly around his hand, knotting it across the top.
Tim takes the matching sock from her and binds it around her hand, tying it the same way.
She had that coy look in her eyes again. “That should take care of that…” she intoned casually, running the point of her clawed index finger up his thigh. “You know… I’ve always been a fan of human tradition, and-“ A warm smile spreads across her face. “-traditionally, a marriage is not really final until it’s consummated.” Her deep golden eyes flick upwards to gaze longingly into Tim’s haunting blue eyes, alive with anticipation.
Tim gazes back, and grins. “Well, I’m all for tradition, you know…”
They clasp hands together then. Tim helps to pull her to her feet and Shadow slowly rises, and then lowers herself gracefully onto Tim’s lap. They put their heads together and look to one another across their little universe with love in their hearts and minds.
“I love you, Timothy Newton. I always will.”
“I love you too, Shadow Newton. I’ll love you by day; I’ll love you by starlight.”
Shadow giggles. “God, that’s corny.”
“You love it!” Tim whispers.
“I do.” Shadow whispers back.
They kiss then, slowly and with a sincere heartfelt passion. Their hands, already clasped together tightly, shift together, until her black claws were mingled between his fingers. Their passion grew then and they lowered down onto her bed, reveling deeply in each other’s tender embrace.

Their bond; their love, would be everlasting.

Description
What happened on the bridge between worlds remains largely a mystery to most who would ask, and of the Catacombs themselves, who can say? Perhaps our curiosity got the better of us that day, perhaps not; you won’t hear anything about it from me! All that really mattered to us at the time was the need to get home, to sleep, to make love, to take care of ourselves, and lastly to forget.

To get on with our lives.

That seemed to be the thought on everyone’s minds after the events of that day. Life would go on, but it would never be the same again. Some had more challenges to face than others, though we were lucky in that regard, Shadow and I.

We still had each other.

When we finally returned home I must have slept for two days straight, Shadow curled up with me in my arms. I woke up one morning and found that she was not there. Investigating further, I discovered (to my delight) the smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen and upon entering; I discovered her sharing some tea over breakfast with my parents. I sat down beside her and she wrapped he tail around my calf under the table, as she always had.

I knew then, that we had found our new normal.

Our better normal.

-VI-
By Starlight

“See Dad? I told you it wouldn’t be that bad!” Tim laughs as his father manages to set foot on the ground, after finally squeezing through the slit-like hole near the top of the tiny alcove beneath his bed.
Shadow bobs her head and giggles. “Good job, Mr. Newton!”
Thomas sighs, and adjusts his shirt pulling it back down into place. “It’d be easier if I wasn’t lugging all this camera equipment myself, you know?” He shifts his equipment duffel that hung down at his side, and quickly inspects the camera dangling from a strap around his neck.
Tim grins and shrugs at him.
Ruth, who had opted once again to take on her more familiar human guise; leans in close to her husband and straightens out his tie for him, just like she always did. “There you go dear, now you look just perfect! Now let’s get moving, we don’t want to be late!” She gives him a quick kiss, and he smiles, raising his eyebrows, after she turns and primly makes her way down the narrow steps. He follows after her like a giddy school boy.
Tim grins and shakes his head as he watches them head down into the Dark Passage, then turns his full attention to Shadow beside him. “Well, shall we?” He offers her is arm.
She combs a length of stray hair out of her face and tucks it behind her ear-fin, then accepts his arm graciously. “By all means, lets not keep them waiting!”
They walk down the steps together, arm in arm, and join up with Tim’s parents who are waiting at the bottom.
Today was a very special occasion, everyone had been invited to attend Midnight’s official coronation as the new High-Mother, and in some respects it was the first of it’s kind. This celebration would also mark a new time of peace between the Night Sisters and the Dark Brotherhood, who had nominated their new Lord very quickly after Terminus’ death. They did not seem to miss him at all, to the surprise of no one.
Apparently, word around the realm was that Midnight and this new Lord had been in talks (which were going very well!) for the past few days, hoping to establish a more open and agreeable relationship between the two guilds. The talk of a merger may even have been whispered once or twice, if you bothered to listen long enough.
Everyone was dressed up for the occasion; Tim looked quite dapper in his formal suit, which even Shadow had to agree with, when he wouldn’t stop posing for her. A tailored black suit that fit him just right, which he had bought to look professional for wedding photography sessions and things of that nature. Underneath, he wore a deep red dress shirt; visible at the collar and cuffs of his sleeves; to match his date, he said. He wore a simple black tie, Windsor knotted all by himself, (indeed he could tie his own ties.) and finally, on his feet he wore a pair of highly-polished, black wing-tips, with pointed toes.
Shadow had dawned her usual black, low cut ghost-silk dress, wrapped her wings about her mid-section, of course, which added a splash of blood red. For a change up, over top of that she had borrowed a black, medium length light overcoat from Ruth, which had a fine lacey quality to it, and some intricate beadwork woven to it as well with wooly tassels at the bottom, (which danced around when she walked.) It tied closed only with a single knotted bow just under her bosom, which let it flow out gracefully as she moved. It looked like something that had jumped straight out of the 30’s, but it worked beautifully on Shadow. In her fiery hair, Tim’s mother had fastened a black velvet rose decoration at the last minute, which somehow really pulled the ensemble together.
The seemingly out-of-place family made their way steadily down the Dark Passageway, led happily by Shadow, who loved to play tour guide. Every once in awhile Thomas would stop a moment to investigate this or that, (as this was his first time being invited down to see the world where his wife had lived for most of her earlier years) and Shadow would gladly stop and explain what it was, if she could.
As they went, they ran into several other denizens travelling along the Dark Passage as well. They received a wide array of reactions, ranging from complete avoidance, to one occasion where a daring, yet friendly and very talkative younger member of the Dark Brotherhood moved in close to Ruth to investigate her, asking her questions until finally, he had to split off down a separate corridor with a wave good-bye; his tail running wild behind him. Ruth laughed, flattered, and wrapped her arm around her husband’s waist for the rest of the walk.
Eventually, Shadow led them out of the Dark Passage and into an open expanse, somewhat similar to the courtyard where Terminus had taken up his residence, though this new place had a much more feminine touch.
“Welcome to Sister’s Hall, residence of our High-Mother, and the place we Sisters call home.” Shadow proudly announces to the Newton’s as they walk underneath the arched entry.
Ruth lets out a refreshed sigh. “Ahh! It’s been too long! It looks just the same as I remember!”
The place was surprisingly bright, with curtains hanging down from high above, and draping into the corners. Great tapestries adorned the walls, each a different colour with a unique artistic rendition of a different winged-woman upon them. No doubt, each a past High-Mother. There was a huge central fountain system, which fed down into smaller basins here and there about the whole room, where several young women (and for today’s occasion even some young men) sat around conversing to one another, and going about their own business.
Across the way, they noticed a familiar face making her way towards them and after a moment, Nightfire greeted them with a slight bow.
“Shadow! Lady Ruthless! Friends, I’m happy you could make it!” She briefly looks Thomas over appraisingly with her eyes (especially the camera around his neck), but finds no fault with him, despite his obvious humanity. She already knew Tim, of course, and bid them enter.
“Oh, I’m no Lady, Nightfire.” Ruth backpedaled. “Just an old rogue.”
Nightfire tilts her head, her short platinum locks moving out of her face, and dawns a conspiratorial smile. “Ahh, but you’re a mother all the same, so a Lady you shall be, to me.”
“Lady Blackheart, then.” Ruth smiles back with a wink.
Nightfire bobs her head. “Actually, now that you’ve arrived; Lady Midnight would like to have a word with you, if you wouldn’t mind?” She motions to the women.
Ruth and Shadow trade a quick glance with each other.
“Of course not!” Shadow answers.
Thomas clears his throat. “Excuse me ladies, but may I get a photo before you take off?” He holds out his camera suggestively. “For posterity, of course!”
His wife smiles. “Oh! of course; for posterity!” she answers sarcastically.
Nightfire is momentarily apprehensive, but nods and gets in close to Ruth, who puts a friendly arm around her shoulders.
“Stick ‘em out, girls!” Ruth jokes, which earns her a sheepish grin from both Shadow and Nightfire.
Thomas shakes his head and takes a shot. “Ohhkay then! Very nice! Thank you, ladies.”
“You’ve welcome, dear! It’s just a shame you’ll never be able to show anyone.”
Thomas shrugs with a playful snicker. “It’s okay, I’ve got a whole binder FULL of these shots at home. I’m used to it!”
Tim and Shadow look at each other and crack up.
Ruth blushes heavily and gives him the look, as she runs her fingers absentmindedly through her hair. “Thomas!”
“Bye dear! Have fun visiting!” He grins at her cheekily.
Ruth crinkles up her nose at him in a cutesy manner. “Okay, let’s go see the High-Mother-to-be!” then she turns back and addresses her son. “And Tim, please, don’t go running off on your own and almost getting yourself killed, okay? Will you listen to your poor mother?”
Tim ducks his head between his shoulders with a bashful smile. “I’ll try not to, but I can’t promise anything!”
“Stay! Good boy!” Shadow puts her arm around his back and gives him a peck on the cheek.
Thomas snaps a photo of them.
The three women take off, leaving father and son behind with a bag of camera equipment.
“Well, we might as well start setting up!” Thomas says to his son.

------

Midnight seemed to be beside herself with worry as Nightfire led Shadow and Ruth into the soon-to-be High-Mother’s chambers and excused herself, leaving them alone together. Shadow immediately went to her best friend’s side to offer her support.
“Midnight, what’s wrong? You look like a nervous wreck!” Shadow exclaimed as she sunk down beside her.
Midnight was perched on a cushioned stool, looking at herself in a full-length mirror set on the wall. She had changed into a long flowing robe that seemed to be something she had discovered among Lady Moonlight’s possessions upon moving into this suite. It was very beautiful on her. Across her lap, she held a hairbrush in her hand, though had not seemed to have actually used it yet. She held her wings out stiffly, and uncertainly, and her tail looked as though it had been frozen stiff and straight.
She looked from the mirror and down at her friend with round-eyed terror. “Shadow! I’m not sure I can go through with this!”
Shadow smiled. “Of course you can! What are you talking about?” She put her hand on Midnight’s hand and held it lightly.
“Just look at me, I’m practically ready to jump out of my skin! I don’t have any of the grace Mother had, and-” Midnight stopped herself in mid-thought, and looked back at the mirror. “Well, just look at me!”
Shadow patted her friend’s hand and then relieved her of the hairbrush. “Your just getting the jitters, that all! You’re gonna be awesome!” she stood then, and ran the hairbrush experimentally through Midnight’s short black hair.
Midnight exhaled through her nose and seemed to begin to relax a bit, as she took some solace in the company of her close friend. The cathartic brushing rhythm helped to sooth her ragged nerves as well.
Ruth smiled at the two friends from the doorway. “You’ll do just fine Midnight! Everyone must start from somewhere, and your worries will vanish in time, I guarantee it.”
Midnight looked at the reflection of Ruth in the mirror. “Maybe, I just seem so… wrong, for the part, I suppose?”
Shadow shot Ruth a worried frown in the mirror, then went back to concentrating on her friend’s hair. She had decided to give Midnight some light curls by spinning the brush outwards at the ends of her hair. It was a striking look, sure to turn the heads of any warm-blooded Brothers that may have been in attendance. Midnight did not seem displeased, her tail curled happily behind her.
Ruth chuckles lightly. “You remind me so much of Moonlight, when she was your age. Back then, she was a brash young thing, who was prone to run at the mouth, often without thinking first; which landed her in trouble many times with Lady Nightshade. However Nightshade must have seen something in her, indeed, as they saw so much of each other, back then.”
Shadow laughs. “Hah, that’s Midnight alright.”
Midnight blushes, and sticks her tongue out at her in the mirror.
Ruth continues. “What I’m saying is that Lady Moonlight turned out alright, and so will you. Your spirit will only help you in the long run. Your grace will come with time.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Ruthless. I feel much better now.”
“It’s not a problem, dear, and please call me Ruth. And certainly not Lady!”
Midnight smiles brightly, clearly enamored at Ruth’s familiarity with her. “Actually, Ruth, if you wouldn’t mind I have something else I would like to discuss with you. Concerning the ceremony?”
“Sure.” Ruth consented, with a curious tilt of her head.
Midnight swiveled around on the stool and dug her hand deep into the pocket of her robe, pulling out her silver Motherhood Pendant, which she dangled at the end of it’s chain. “I would be honored if it would be you who might present this to me, during the ceremony, that is.” She ended her request with an tiny awkward smile.
Ruth came away from the door and went to Midnight’s side where she scooped up the silver pendant in her hand. Its intricacies shimmered in her hand as it rolled around in the light. “It would be my pleasure, dear!”
Midnight relinquished her grasp on the chain and Ruth bent down to her where they shared a short friendly hug. They separated from each other smiling.

------

Shadow returned to the main courtyard of Sister’s Hall, leaving Midnight and Ruth to attend to some business pertaining to the ceremony, and found Timothy busily setting up an adjustable tripod for his father’s camcorder, with which they were going to be recording the upcoming ceremony. At least; he was attempting to set it up.
A group of young children had curiously gathered to check out the human; no doubt, this may have been their first encounter with one as they were still too young to join a guild proper.
Shadow kept well away, leaning up against the wall of a tall fountain watching with a grin.
Tim worked away all the while, seemingly without paying them much attention. The kids snuck in closer and closer until finally Tim reared up from his work with a jokey ‘Raaawr!’ complete with his hands up making ‘threatening claws’ with his round human fingers.
The group of kids jumped and giggled, running in circles around him as he began to slowly meander after them. Eventually, Tim caught one in his arms and swooshed the child up tickling them, until the kid let out a wail of childish laughter. Tim was having just as much fun as the kids.
“He seems to be handling the children quite well.” Came a sudden voice from Shadow’s periphery.
She glanced behind her, and there stood a middle-aged, yet rather handsome, elegantly dressed Dark Brother whom had not been there a moment ago, or so she had thought. “Yes, he is, isn’t he?” Looking back at Tim he was now on the ground with the children crawling all over him hooting and laughing. Seeing him, there was a warm fluttering sensation deep within her then, and she couldn’t help but let an equally warm smile melt across her face.
Again the man, just behind her left shoulder now. “He’s quite the catch, I’d hold onto him if I were you!”
Shadow blinked and regarded the man over her shoulder. “Your not ‘offended’ by his humanity?”
He smiled then. “Offended? Don’t be silly. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories.”
“I think you have it backwards.”
The man shrugged. “Do I? Well, who’s to say Beauty could not be the Beast, Hmm?”
Shadow rounded fully towards the man now, regarding him with growing curiosity. “It’s a human story, how do you even know about that? Who are you anyway?”
He put a claw to his forehead. “Ahh, silly me! I forget myself sometimes. I’m still quite new to this entire thing, you see! My name is Lord Mortis, freshly anointed High-Father of the Dark Brotherhood, at your service!” He bows to her briefly.
“Lord Mortis? Ohh!” Shadow bows back hurriedly. “I’m sorry! I had no idea, your grace.”
Lord Mortis touched her shoulder gently. “Now now, please just call me Mortis, I’m not fond of such honoraries. I like to think I’m no better than anyone else.”
Shadow laughed. “How refreshing!”
An easy smile grazed Mortis’ lips. “Well, my Brothers certainly thought so.” Then he winked. “Terminus was not well loved, not even by his own Brotherhood. His ascension to command was highly dubious to begin with.”
Shadow withdraws and wraps her arms around herself at the mention of Terminus. She could still feel his hands wrapped around her throat.
The High-Father frowned. “I’m sorry; it must be hard for you. All you’ve been through recently.”
Shadow nods distantly; only half listening, and then shakes her head. “No, it’s really not. Not really. Terminus was an awful man, and I’m glad he’s gone.”
Mortis leans in closer. “Well, I hope I can put you at ease. I wish you have nothing but good fortune, Shadow. In all of your future endeavors.”
Shadow smiles meekly, wondering what he meant by that.
The children squealed delightedly, drawing Shadow’s attention away from the new Lord for a moment. She catches them just as they run off; apparently satisfied by their first human encounter, leaving Tim alone to get back to his work.
Glancing back to Lord Mortis behind her, she discovers that he has vanished without a trace. “Oh, he’s good.” She remarks admirably, having fallen victim to a perfectly timed ‘phantom exit’ technique.
Taking her leave of the fountain where she now stood alone, she went to Tim’s side as he kneeled down setting the tripod into its position. “How’s work going?”
Tim shot a friendly look her way as he stood again; attaching a mini camcorder to the tripod’s apex. “Hey, Shadow! I’m just finishing up right now, actually.”
Shadow turned her waist back and forth, making the wooly tassels at the bottom of her long dress twirl around her rhythmically. She smiled at him. “Since your finished, would you care to go for a walk?”
“Sure! I’d love to!” He quickly zips up the camera bag in his hands and drops it carefully at the base of the camera setup. “That’s going to be safe here, right?”
Shadow nods. “I highly doubt anyone will touch your equipment, we don’t really have much use for it down here, anyway.”
They held hands and Shadow led Tim along. “So, how do you like Sister’s Hall?”
Tim looked around with an enthusiastic grin. “It’s really beautiful Shadow. So different from those murky caverns.”
Shadow shrugs lightly. “We do what we can to liven the place up.”
Tim looks pointedly at her, turning his wide grin on her. “So, who was the guy you were talking to just now?”
Shadow looked down at her tapered claws, as though she were checking her fingernails nonchalantly, it was a strictly human gesture that she had picked up by observation, considering she did not actually have fingernails. “Jealous?” She asked him, with a sly smirk on her face.
Tim scratched his hair with his free hand. “Well, no; not really! Should I be?”
They stopped walking. They had reached the edge of an intricately carved fountain.
Shadow turned and looked up at Tim, coyly. “Well, he is a Lord.”
“Oh! Well then!” Tim replied.
“Don’t worry; I’m not into older guys. I think you’re safe.” Shadow concluded.
Tim saw the warmth in Shadow’s eyes as she gazed at him in that moment. They joined their hands together and were just about to kiss, when a chime sounded across the courtyard, interrupting them. The coronation ceremony would be starting shortly.

------

Everyone was settling into his or her seats. Several rows of pews had seemingly been setup in the courtyard for the occasion, facing towards a small amphitheatre where Midnight’s coronation would take place.
Tim and Shadow found their seats together side by side in the front row, and as they were making themselves comfortable, Ruth appeared out of the crowd and took her seat beside Tim.
“Where’s Dad?” Tim asks her. He hadn’t seen him since he’d wandered off to look for a good place to take some pictures of the event.
“Oh, you know your father. He’s around here someplace. Just follow the flashes.”
Tim looks at his mother. “I don’t think he’ll be using flash, it’s pretty well lit in here.”
Ruth makes a ‘don’t be a smart-aleck to your mother’ face at him.
Tim grins and looks around to see what he could see. He saw that Lord guy Shadow was talking to also sitting in the front row, though several places away from them. He found Shadow’s hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze. Shadow looked at him and smiled sweetly, though somewhat distractedly, as she almost immediately went back to looking at the little stage where Midnight would be appearing soon. She was excited for her friend, Tim understood that quite well.
Suddenly, Thomas was there too. “Sorry, sorry, I was just checking the camcorder. Everything’s running smoothly. We should get the whole thing on tape!” He whispered as he took his own seat on the other side of Ruth. He had his camera ready too. No flash.
The audience grew quiet, as Midnight entered the courtyard, led to the stage by Nightfire she stepped up quickly and walked to the center, turning then to look out upon her audience. Her eyes quickly danced over the crowd, from the back to the front. Scanning the front row she smiled, seeing her friends all there to support her.
Midnight began to speak. At first, she spoke gently, wavered a moment, and stopped, clearing her throat. She looked to Ruth who waved her on subtly, with a smile and a nod. Beginning again, Midnight took a deep breath, and this time, in a clearer and more confidant manner, she took her first steps towards Motherhood.
“My friends, my children,” she folds her hands together. “Today is a special day for us. All of us! Not simply for my own Night Sisters, but also for the Dark Brotherhood as well! It is a historic day, one not seen since ages past, for today we come together to honor the memory of High-Mother Moonlight, or as she had come be known, the White Lady.”
Behind Midnight as she spoke, a new tapestry was unfurled, bright white, upon it a beautiful rendering of Lady Moonlight in silver threadwork.
“It was her sacrifice that sewed the seeds we continue to nurture today. Both of our guilds have come to face a fresh start; a new day, and on this day, with my official coronation, I pledge to all of you here today, that it would be my honor, and privilege, to strive towards a new and lasting peace.”
She stands there a moment, unsure of how to proceed, when Lord Mortis rises from his seat and claps to her enthusiastically. He grins widely and openly, as Midnight blushes and bows to him from the stage, as soon everyone joins their applause with his.
Ruth comes forward from the crowd and steps up onto the stage beside Midnight as the applause dies down. Low murmurs rose from those not privy to who she actually was, reacting mostly to seeing a mere human take the stage during such an important event. It was simply unheard of. Today really was a historic one.
Ruth bows low to Midnight, who in return bows back lower still - so low, in fact that she goes to her knees solemnly before the human woman, her eyes closed gently.
The murmurs from the crowd turn to dead silence as Ruth produces the Motherhood Pendant from her pocket and holds it out for all to see. She carefully clasps it around Midnight’s neck, and touches her on the shoulder affectionately.
Midnight opens her eyes and rises as gracefully as she can muster to her feet.
Ruth takes Midnight’s hand in her own and raises it high above her head. “I’m pleased to present to you, the beautiful Lady Midnight, your new High-Mother!”
They both bow low to the crowd together then, as once again a great applause rises from the audience, warmly congratulating Midnight on her day.
Ruth steps aside quickly and is helped off the stage by Nightfire, who had been standing watch just off to the side during the procession.
Midnight smiles out at the crowd and after a few moments she raises her hands, signaling that she was ready to speak with them once again. “Lady Moonlight was a proud woman, a strong woman, and just. She loved her children very much, and I would be honored if someday I came to be regarded as even half the Mother she had been. I should be so lucky!”
“However; Lady Moonlight was not without her faults, and it is with a heavy burden in my heart, that with my first official duty as High-Mother, I must be forced to correct a grievous oversight on her part.”
The crowd was silent then, unsure what Lady Midnight may have had in mind.
Midnight came forward to the edge of the stage, and beckoned Tim and Shadow to please rise from their seats. They did, reluctantly, as they were bidden; unsure as to what Midnight had up her sleeve.
Midnight spoke to them, alone. “My friends, please forgive me for what I must do! It grieves me to no end that I must do it, however, after much consideration, I find the bond you both share to be null and void, and I cannot officially recognize it. I am deeply sorry.”
Shadow shudders, and reaches out blindly to her side, finding Tim’s hand shoulder for support. They were both ashen.
“What are you talking about?” Shadow implores, almost on the verge of tears suddenly. “I thought… but…”
Midnight’s sorrowful expression melts away then, into the rich grin of a masterful prankster. “So, let’s make it official!” She winks playfully.
A stray tear runs down Shadow’s cheek as she looks up at her friend with surprise.
Midnight herself helps Tim up onto the stage. Tim then helps Shadow climb up in turn. Together, they circle about and gaze out over the large crowd that had gathered in the courtyard of Sister’s Hall, even beyond the arranged seats. It was a veritable sea of silent cat’s eyes staring back at them curiously.
Tim looks down and finds his parents in the front row, his mother was cupping her mouth in her hands, her eyes glazing up with tears of joy. His father snapped another photograph, as he had been doing the entire time.
Strangely, he caught they eye of Lord Mortis (though he did not actually know his name yet) who gave him the slightest nod of approval.
Tim looks at Shadow beside him and shares a smile with her. She bats gingerly at her eye, attempting to wipe away her own tears of joy and smiles back at him. He gently runs his thumb across her cheek, catching another stray.
Turning to Midnight then, they discover that she had produced a small golden knife, and a golden chalice from somewhere within the folds of her flowing dress.
A stray thought came to Tim suddenly; Midnight had come a long way since Tim had first encountered her, back when she had threatened to kill him for staining her sister’s good name. Tim grinned from ear to ear.
Midnight spoke to them, ignoring the crowd for the time being, although certainly, the rapt audience could hear every word. “Today, we are witnesses to a grand occasion! The bonding of two souls, together in life! Two souls of such incredible variation, and yet two that burn so brightly together!”
She points the tip of the knife at each of them in turn.
“As my first act, I offer you both unending prosperity in the future. A future you both will face together, now and forever! Let the bond be forged! All I require is a measure of blood.”
She offers Tim the blade of her knife.
Tim did not know the ins and outs of the ritual exactly, though from the implications of the knife and chalice (and knowing of Shadow’s scar) he knew what was expected of him. Reaching out he takes a hold of the knife’s sharp blade, and surprisingly, painlessly, his blood begins to flow.
Lady Midnight offers him the chalice next, which he gladly dribbles his blood into.
The process is repeated after the knife and chalice are turned on Shadow.
Tim and Shadow clasp their bloodied hands together between them securely, their blood mingling together right there between them, as well as in the golden cup.
Midnight raises the cup upwards and swirls it, much the same way she had watched Lady Moonlight do it so many weeks prior. From her memory, she begins to speak the old words; words she had spent half the previous night attempting to commit to memory so she might do this for her friends.
She waved the dagger back and forth over the chalice as she spoke, and where last time nothing had happened, this time there was magic.
The blood was now sparkling water, of the purest kind.
Midnight looked down into the cup in her hands, and up at Tim and Shadow, impressed with herself and somewhat amazed at the transmogrification. “You must each drink of this.”
Tim did as he was told; he took the golden chalice from Midnight and peering inside saw the water down at the bottom. He drank, and offered it to Shadow with a smile.
Shadow took the cup from him and downed the rest without even looking to see what was there. Her eyes were only for Tim then.
Midnight retrieved the chalice from Shadow’s grasp and raised it up as if in a toast. “The bond is STRONG!” She announces to the crowd, who all begin to clap surprisingly feverishly, Midnight included, for the odd couple before them.
Tim and Shadow look deeply into each other’s eyes, and share a loving kiss together right there on the stage in front of everyone. Their bond really was strong.

------

As the celebration was just getting underway, Shadow took Timothy by the hand and led him out of the crowded courtyard, away from prying eyes, and deeper into the inner chambers of Sister’s Hall to clean and take care of their matching wounds.
She led him into a fairly cramped corridor, only wide enough for two people to walk abreast of each other comfortably, and as they moved down its considerable length, Tim took notice of each doorway they passed. Simple archways carved into the walls, each seemingly unique in their own special way, personalized over time it seemed, and each sectioned off with door beads, obscuring whatever lay beyond. These rooms were the only ones Tim had noticed so far, in all of Sister’s Hall, which seemed to have an analogue for a closed door at all. These rooms were private dorms.
Shadow was taking him home.
She stops outside a particular doorway, decorated with a black and red beaded curtain, adorned here and there with ribbons and bows and looks back at Tim. “We can clean up in here. Come on in.” She said, pushing aside the beads with a light clatter.
“Alright.” Tim said, slipping past her through the door.
Shadow entered after him, the beads swaying closed behind her. As she made her way further into the room, she slid her hand gently across the back of Tim’s shoulders suggestively; looking back at him as she passed by, her eyes half-lidded.
The look she had gave Tim goose bumps, as his hair stood on end. He knew from experience what that look meant, and he buried an coy smirk.
Putting that aside, Tim looks around the room. It was cozy, actually, and not unlike a small apartment. The main room was fairly open, and had a dropped area in the middle where several large cushions were arranged. You could sit along the edge, or get very comfortable towards the center.
Shelving seemed to be built directly into the far wall, and was divided by a small doorway that led to another room beyond, most likely a bedroom. On the shelves were some ancient looking books, several thick candles, which looked as though they had seen their fair share of usage and a few other knick-knacks she had collected over the years.
He smiles to himself when he spies an old plush Freddy Krueger doll leering out from the shelf beside her bedroom door. He had given it to her years ago as a birthday present, and it was nice to know she had held onto it all these years.
“You have a really nice place here, Shadow, very comfy!” He compliments her.
Shadow had wandered over to a small basin set into a countertop along the right-hand wall of her room, and ran some water over her hands. She looked back at him, the same come-hither look set on her face. “Thank you, love; I’ve done what I can with it over the years.”
Tim goes to her then and squeezes in beside her. She yields some room, allowing him to stand shoulder to shoulder with her as he too plunges his hands into the water. It was warm. Tim would have to ask her sometime just how they managed to achieve some of the things they had. They did not seem to have electricity, and yet there were orbs of gently throbbing light illuminating the walls here and there. Tim was hard-pressed to believe they might have been magical, but in this realm anything may have been possible.
Shadow’s hands touched his own then, which drew his full attention. She delicately ran her smooth hands over his, washing away the dark line left across the palm of his hand. She worked silently and intently, and when he was clean, she clasped his hand in her own lovingly.
Grabbing a small rag from nearby, she gently dries his hands, then her own, and looks up at him. “We’ll need to bandage that, so it doesn’t get dirty.”
Tim gave her a playful nudge with his shoulder. “Do you even have bandages down here?”
Shadow cocks her head with a sly smile. “No, not exactly; but I have the next best thing.” She pulled him away from the water basin by his hand, towards the doorway to her back room. “Follow me.”
Tim laughs. “Do I even have a choice?”
“Nope!” Shadow says playfully.
She leads him through the doorway where Tim discovers that he had been right. The backroom was her bedroom. As he looked around briefly, he noticed a few black cloaks hanging on her wall, her old demon’s-mane headdress mounted on a hook as well.
There was a bed set length-wise around the corner against the wall and that was when his smile widened. Above her bed, mounted on the wall, Tim saw a fairly large collection of little fabric tubes of varied colour and designs, arranged side by side in an intricate checkerboard-like affair.

He had finally found his missing socks.

“Mom would be thrilled.” He manages, amused. “I always wondered what you did with them… for awhile I thought you might have been eating them!”
Shadow punches him lightly in the arm, and proceeds to wrap her arms about herself in defiance. “Whaaat? Ewww! No. It’s just… I…” She looks embarrassed and turns away from him. “I took them because they reminded me of you. I… didn’t know WHY at the time, but you were…. special to me. Even back then.”
Tim blushes. “It’s sweet, don’t be embarrassed.” He wraps his hands gingerly around her shoulders pulling her against him. She practically purrs in his arms and she crosses her hands across her chest, resting them on his forearms. Her tail waggles playfully between his legs.
“They really helped me out, when we were apart. They made the waiting easier.”
Tim made a reassuring sound in his chest. “You don’t have to wait anymore.”
“No; I suppose not.” She grinned in his loving embrace.
“Now, about those bandages?” Tim asked softly into her ear, which rose appreciatively at his nearness.
Reaching into her pocket, she produces another pair of socks. It was the pair he had given her the night they had first made love. She laughs. “These also make excellent bandages.”
Shadow pulls his arm down then and breaks free of his grasp, turning them both and pushing Tim gently down so that he sat down on the edge of her bed. Kneeling down in front of him, she takes his injured hand and deftly ties one of the socks firmly around his hand, knotting it across the top.
Tim takes the matching sock from her and binds it around her hand, tying it the same way.
She had that coy look in her eyes again. “That should take care of that…” she intoned casually, running the point of her clawed index finger up his thigh. “You know… I’ve always been a fan of human tradition, and-“ A warm smile spreads across her face. “-traditionally, a marriage is not really final until it’s consummated.” Her deep golden eyes flick upwards to gaze longingly into Tim’s haunting blue eyes, alive with anticipation.
Tim gazes back, and grins. “Well, I’m all for tradition, you know…”
They clasp hands together then. Tim helps to pull her to her feet and Shadow slowly rises, and then lowers herself gracefully onto Tim’s lap. They put their heads together and look to one another across their little universe with love in their hearts and minds.
“I love you, Timothy Newton. I always will.”
“I love you too, Shadow Newton. I’ll love you by day; I’ll love you by starlight.”
Shadow giggles. “God, that’s corny.”
“You love it!” Tim whispers.
“I do.” Shadow whispers back.
They kiss then, slowly and with a sincere heartfelt passion. Their hands, already clasped together tightly, shift together, until her black claws were mingled between his fingers. Their passion grew then and they lowered down onto her bed, reveling deeply in each other’s tender embrace.

Their bond; their love, would be everlasting.