Work Text:
Grimshaw was walking towards the main temple, to the highest floor out of many, located in the capital of Nightshade, not far from his castle.
The temple was as dark as a pile of ashes, both on the outside and inside. On its outer walls were what were supposed to be glass windows. However, they had to be covered every night so no moonlight would kill a Nightshade. On top of the temple was a hemisphere, at least what it would’ve been if it weren’t akin to the shape of Hershey’s Kisses, but more curved at the bottom. Atop of the teardrop was a gem of pure obsidian, which had a round brilliant gemstone cut, just that the point at the bottom was missing.
Obsidian is also known for detoxifying one’s stress away from their heart. And that was the purpose of a temple, for the people to pray away their fears and leave it to the hands of their gods and goddesses. On both sides, the walls were adorned with white symmetrical detailed designs of line curling near and around each other. On the inside, both of the floors and ceilings were adorned with those long, beautiful white lines.
However, on the ceilings, the lines surrounded detailed paintings, depicting scenes from the Nanaka, the book containing religious guidance to the people of Lightlark and Nightshade, and which in English translates to “holy”. The name came from an ancient language of Lightlark, long before Isla Crown, the love of Grim’s life, was born. He went through the main opening at the front, it had no door as it welcomed any Nightshade, regardless of who they are, to seek guidance under their respective gods and goddesses.
Although it seemed as if the cold-hearted, unloving tyrant would never fall in love, it turned out that he melted his heart over a lady, not exactly Nightshade but also not exactly a non-Nightshade either, in a sense that she was both curse and cure to his problems.
That was what he came for, to seek someone who may hear, maybe even answer, his endless pleas for the woman he loved. It seemed unlikely, impossible even. But Grim would do anything for the goddess of love to even hear his prayers at all.
He was invisible to everyone around him, through the power of his illusions. He portaled to the highest floor. Then, he walked towards the center, which immediately teleported him to a secret room. Usually, only the monarchs of Nightshade had access to this room, with the exception of some high priests and priestesses.
In front of him was a mirror, the border being composed of thick, thin, short, long, and black curly lines. Surrounding the mirror were two dark candles, as dark as the nighttime sky, one for the left and another for the right. Both of them were already lit by a high priestess, as he announced to her that he was going to make an important prayer to one of the goddesses. In between them was a large, horizontal rectangular carpet. The main color was black and on top of it was those same curly white lines again.
However, the lines had become stems for nightbane, which had five deep purple petals that formed a star around its pistil. Nightbane has been used to create healing elixirs by the Wildings. In spite of its healing properties, Nightshades have also used it to create a drug that slowly kills you during a period of blissful happiness. Isla Crown is the embodiment of it, both life and death. Nonetheless, the carpet was still black and white.
Grimshaw then took off his shoes, socks, gloves, and crown, symbolizing the humility of his heart.
Then, he bowed down to the goddess of love. First, he kneeled down, then put his hands on the carpet. His head was right above the carpet, almost touching it. He began to close his eyes.
After that, he began his fervent prayer, all of his pleas summed up into one:
“O holy goddess, hear my prayer before thou
May you bless the love of my heart and mine
And may you mend our hearts together into one
May you see that our souls were once missing something
Something that they needed to have
In order to live life to the fullest
And that the missing pieces were each other
As they make each other complete
And as one cannot live without the other
May our love transcend boundaries, worlds, and lifetimes
May our love persist in the midst of turmoil
May our love persist in the midst of others telling us
That it is immoral for a Wilding and Nightshade
To love one another
May Isla continue to be my curse and cure
As although she is killing me on the inside
She has also healed the wounds of my heart
And she has lit a match in the cold, dark heart of mine
O holy goddess, please bless us with thy grace
Despite my misdeeds
Please accept my pleas
And let us live within thy grace
Amen.”
He got up from his bow, but now with teary eyes as pure as his love for her. After he put his socks, shoes, gloves, and crown on, he then portaled himself back in his bedroom.
After doing his usual business, he went to sleep, thinking, maybe…just maybe…
That this would be one of the few times a god or goddess would listen to his pleas at all.