My heart, for whose advice, thoughts, and most of all compassion in reading my story messes and guiding my thoughts often makes something more than they first appeared, pondered a thought the other evening. I found myself rather taken by it in many ways. It makes sense in the Realm; it does mesh nicely with the mythos and all. But the question remains as to what happens at the …

Loveseat
By TeraS

It is well known that Tera doesn’t particularly like pomp and ceremony. There’s just something about it that rubs her, and her tail, the wrong way. This has, on many occasions, led to discusses with one particular red-tail with the whitest hair Tera had ever seen. That is, of course, her uncle.

At one point he had suggested that the throne of the Realm was wherever Tera happened to rest, be that an actual throne, lawn chair, or, as his niece suggested with a bemused smile, an inflatable pool chair. His niece was, after all, not exactly a stereotypical Queen of the Realm—not that she would ever want to be.

This discussion had gone on for some time between them when an invitation arrived from the Realm Museum for the opening of a new exhibit. The parchment note bid Her Majesty to see a collection of thrones that had been of use to the rulers of the Realm in ages past.

This, Tera decided, was something she would have to attend. Her uncle, however, would not be able to. After all, his favourite hockey team was in the playoffs. This bemused the ebon-maned Queen of the Realm, as she knew her Uncle would be making notes to punctuate his rant that evening when he called.

The Museum was, as always, a place of delight for the red-tail’s senses. This wasn’t a place where the past was sealed behind glass, roped off, set far away from those attending. One could, if one wished, touch the pitchfork of an ancestor, feel the material of a formal gown, and, if one was very careful, perhaps even be able to see if that gown or that suit of armour would fit them—assuming, of course, the guardian of the museum thought they might be the right size.

The director was Joseph, a green-tailed incubi who greeted Tera’s arrival on the steps leading to the main entrance. He had assumed that she would be informal as Tera was wont to do. He didn’t expect the bemused Queen of the Realm to arrive wearing her dress of legend.

She teased him with a smile, “Hello Joseph, I must apologize for being a bit tardy. I hope you don’t mind.”

He had to admit to himself that, while Tera was delightful in more ways than he could count, he still held hopes that, someday, there would be one entire museum to her name, with that dress at the centre of it all. But he also knew that Tera would pitchfork him if she knew. Yet, as her smile turned ever so much more bemused, he realized she probably knew his hopes just by looking at him.

“Your Majesty … I mean … Tera?”

Brushing her gloved hands over her thighs, she explained: “It is my understanding that your new exhibit contains every throne of the Realm there has been.”

His reply was a bit guarded, “There is one major omission, of course.”

She smiled, “I’m sure you’ll have what’s missing at some point.” Of course she knew.

Stepping closer to him, the red-tailed Monarch continued, her eyes sparkling, “I have it in mind to … closely examine every one of them. I would like to see what … might be the best fit for my tail.”

He did his very best not to make the obvious comment about her tail, “Of course.” Held by so-green eyes, the mesmerized one with a similar-coloured tail just nodded as the Queen continued: “You won’t mind, of course?”

Finding himself now hand in hand with the Queen, the green tail wondered how many of his kin would be grilling him for the events of the evening. “Might I take pictures?”

The Monarch’s soft giggle as her subject led the way to the exhibit was promising.

As the sun rose above the horizon marking the dawn of a new day, Tera was brooding over what she had seen, and how disappointed she was in it all. So many different thrones of so many varying shapes, textures, and usefulness, and not one of them seemed to fit her exactly right. It had taken all night to examine them all, twice over to be sure she hadn’t been making assumptions, before the audience came to a close and the revelation was clear. Not one of them would do.

Now returned home, Tera reclined and mulled over everything, still ensconced in the dress of legend. This is how her Eternal discovered her. He recognized the expression, the tapping of a finger on her lovely red lips and the turning over of thoughts that came when she was slightly miffed. He knew something was making her tail itch, and that wasn’t a good thing. Tera came out of her musing with a start when he offered a mug of hot chocolate. His expression showed his concern and she smiled in that way that only one Eternal can for another.

Cupping his ebon-maned love’s chin, he lightly kissed her and then asked, “Can I help?”
A pat of a gloved hand beside her bade him welcome and so one Eternal settled in with another.

Sipping from her mug, Tera began, “You know, every ruler of our world has had a throne. I’ve settled into every one of them, looked out from the perch they had. Imagined what they would have been, said, or proclaimed.”

Keith had laced the fingers of one hand with Tera’s free one as he offered, “Not one of them was right, was it?”

The mug placed on the end table, she nodded: “Some too hard, some too soft, nothing was just right.”

Her red-tailed soulmate kissed her fingers, “If you’re trying to be Goldilocks, you haven’t the hair for it.”

Tossing her hair to the side, she considered him with a naughty look. “I’m pickier.”

“Ah, but you are just right for me.”

Sighing, the red-tail curled into his embrace, closing her eyes, “You know we’ll have to figure out a throne sometime. There’s not enough room at the museum for all of the things that we’ve rested on.”

Keith was silent for a time, his tail twining with Tera’s own before he spoke.

“I have a suggestion.”

Tera opened her eyes. “Oh?”

“Are you comfortable?”

Her purr was temptation, “Yes.”

“Are you happy?”

So-green eyes glistened with love, “I’m with you.”

“There’s your answer. This is our official throne, always has been.”

A red loveseat, trimmed in silver, just big enough for two in love to be intimate and entwined. A simple thing, most would say, seen on its own, but for two Eternals in love, it was the expression of their love and what they had, together, built the Realm upon. The Eternals drew together, their passions christening the loveseat into the symbol of their reign.

For love was the throne upon which the Realm was built …