Mists in Moonlight

Swirling grey mists swam before her eyes: hiding all from view behind a cold silver veil of old searching souls. Her mother had often warned her of the grey mists: for night was the realm of the old gods and their magic. Yet, fear did not engulf her, but a steady sense of peace overcame her nerves. She moved cautiously forward: her long silk skirts billowing out behind her. The mists seemed to brighten and clear as she walked and as she kept going, all sense of direction lost, from her a bright circle of light became visible. The cold that had seeped into her skin from the moist rain scented mists thawed as she neared the warm glowing light beckoning her from the shrouded mists. She closed her eyes from the overwelming glare as she reached it and stepped through, and opened her eyes to a shaded glen of sweet dew covered grass, tall elegant silver limbed trees with light green leaves falling in waves among sweet smelling light blue blossoms.

Bushes and shrubs overflowing with beautiful scented flowers: dark purple and rose pink, bright sapphire blue and pale lavender; many more: all in different yet delicate startling forms. The sky was breathtaking: brought about by the fluffy softly swirling clouds that complemented the pink and red rays shining upon the western hills: growing darker to purple and indigo as the sun relinquished its hold to the stars and the silver shining orb of the moon. She took all this in slowly; shocked by the sheer beauty but also by the feeling that she had been here before. Her beautiful gaze stopped suddenly as it made out the form of a young man camouflaged in the greenery. His long blond hair shone gold in the fading sunlight. Falling a few inches below his strong sculptured shoulders, his hair was slightly blowing on the light breeze.

A long shimmering jade cloak was slung over his shoulders: held in place with a silver brooch of ancient design. White shirt moving in the wind; tucked loosely into tight soft leather breeches of a light creamy shade; disappeared into knee high leather boots, with silver capped heel and toe. His dark emerald green gaze was locked on her and as their eyes met they fastened and held. She was unable to break the powerful link they shared, and she didn’t want to as warm feelings washed over her: making her head swim! All that felt right to her: was him and being in his arms and looking into his eyes! He felt so familiar, though she was sure she’d never met him in this life time. She felt such a strong yearning; drawing her to him: her feet moving involuntarily forward into the centre of the clearing.

Meeting him as he came forward from the trees; stopping just a metre away from her, (their eyes still locked in a unbreakable spell) they felt their arms move from their sides and their palms touch between them. They both shivered at the electricity that passed between them. They know at that moment that they are not alone: a shock of understanding on both their faces as they smile at one another: knowing that their feelings are shared. Her heart feels ready to burst and her chest swells with a love she knows is reciprocated. His mind and thoughts are known to her: all in his eyes: as are hers in the dark violet sparkling depths of her sooty black lashed eyes. She tilted her head to the side and a fresh breath of wind snatched her red and purple hued long curling hair, and sent it cascading about her slim white shoulders above the soft lilac silk of her dress.

Hands entwined between them they stepped forward into each other’s embrace. His free hand caressed the soft silkiness of her pale white skin and under the full pout of the red sweetness of her smiling lips, as her soft velvety fingers touched the slight cleft in his strong chin, and trace a long nail along his jaw, amethyst and emerald eyes burned into the others memory forever as they closed and their lips met .

Jenna sat up in bed shivering , her heart hammered in her chest, pulling the covers closer around her slight form , and running over each moment in her mind of the strange haunting illusion that teased and niggled at her mind constantly, over and over it came back taunting her with the feelings it always evoked, of a deep yearning longing for what was always lost in the mists of her dreams. Jenna looked about her dark shadowy room, and slipped her long legs over the side of the bed and quietly flipping back the velvet and fur covers she stood and then hugged her self at the chill and walked a few silent paces to a polished wooden chair, padded soft with wool and covered with red velvet in Celtic design. She swiped the heavy soft cloak from its back frame and slipped it over her shivering silk clad body. “I must have forgotten to bank the fire” she thought  absent mindedly as she looked down at the ashes in the big artfully engraved fire place in front of the chair. Then she looked out to her large window doors that opened out from the palace into a beautiful garden, all of her own. . she walked steadily toward it and pressed her hands to the cold stained glass, then slid them down to the crystal knob inserting a silver key and twisting it let the door swing open wide enough to let her small body slip through. As the cold night air hit her body, she shivered and drew her cloak closer about her and stepped out under the beautiful coverlet of sparkling stars, her eyes shone as she looked up at them and felt their distant call. She shook it off  and started out across the lawn and through the swaying boughs of the huge tree at the west of the garden. There it stood by the wall accompanied by a large rose bush with full red roses that bloomed during the spring and scented he whole garden with its honey sweet aroma. Pushing through the rose’s sharp stems and thorns  the branches swayed back into themselves allowing Jenna to slip in the small gap left between the old tree and the rose’s stinging thorns into black shadows beyond...

By Vanessa Andersson

Many years ago