This is what happens...
by ~swanreaper

The dark prince, the prince of the ravens with blood that rots in his veins, lay curled in on himself, a powerless fledgling melting into the blackness he once believed he was master of; the richness of agony spoiling in his throat, the agony that he could command so well only because it thrummed through him with such heady sweetness. He showed his teeth in a silent snarl, leaving the world dark as the raw glistening of his gaze was shut away into the darkness behind his lids, but that was no less painful to bear. Imagined talons grasp at his chest as tears burn down his porcelin face, as loneliness carves its own vessels to twine through him with the beat of his heart, ignoring veins to wrench him apart. He wishes to be fiercely angry, wishes to burn away every last memory of everyone he might ever have known, because surely then he would forget loneliness. Yes, only the charred remains of his life could spare him. But he will not beg. He is a true prince, and never will one shameful plea depart him. "No... this is nothing... Right here. Isn't that right? If no one loves me, if I am alone, then let this heart be destroyed!" His words reach a fevered pitch, dissolving into frantic laughter; his eyes crack open to spill his soul into the emptiness, and still he cries, longing to forget what tears mean. "Here! Come now, give me your hearts! All of them, even if there are none! Here is your prince!"

"My prince, it is true... You have my heart." A voice, spun from light, danced down to him, and its owner followed, drifting delicately to her knees to help him sit up. She twined her fingers with his, regardless of the ebony gloves sealing his pale skin, and tenderly laced his arms around her own waist. Her arms fit against his back in turn, as she murmured soothingly, "Won't you recall? Won't you return to me?"

"I... have no one to return to..." He sobbed, and then his voice spiraled higher. "I belong to no one! You... You belong to me!" He shoved himself away abruptly, shackling her wrist in his clawed grip. He smiled pleasantly and looked up at her, expecting the fear to swallow her warm red eyes, expecting her to try to free herself from him, because he was a darkened spirit, and no one would be willing to share his agonized prison with him. He expected triumph and pain, because these were the same, these were also strength now. They had to be, they had to be... So when she didn't recoil, when she met his bloodstained gaze lovingly, his thoughts splintered.

"My prince, I belong to you. And so do you belong to me... I love you. I'm..." She hesitated, tears spilling down her own cheeks, and somehow even these were gentle, gleaming with the rest of her beauty. "I'm sorry... Please... forgive me, for cursing you with this pain..." She leaned forward, slipping her arms around his fragile form again, and he was helpless to do anything but melt against her as she pressed her soft lips against his in a flowery kiss. Slowly, his hands, tensed into raven's merciless claws, relaxed, as the black fabric receded. He placed a hand against her cheek, angling her face gently, and gold trickled back into his eyes at the elegance of her skin under his.

"No... no, my princess... I... I'm sorry..." He began to cry again, even as he delicately guided her head to rest against his shoulder, and buried his face in her hair. He was sorry, so infinitely sorry; it had been unbearable, unrelentingly lashing against him, loneliness overcoming his once-perfect heart. And now she was here, in his arms, his strong princess, his sweet Rue, she had come to find him. "It hurt... it hurt so much, and I..." He took a deep, shuddering breath, reaching into the slight cavern between their bodies to rest her hand over his heart. "It is because of you, all because of you, that I feel... well, again... This  warmth... thank you." He smiled faintly, and swept another kiss against her forehead.