Epilogue: Tempus Fugit

And on a white dais overlooking the wingdom, a couple stood – their arms entwined. All around them white evening roses bloomed, their striking colour only serving to enhance the following white dress of the woman and the diamonds that sparkled in her hair.

The noble man holding her looked from the castle to her, knowing which the fairer sight was. Most of the guests had already left, and those who still hung around weren't concerned with the couple in the least. He spared them no glance and rather kept his gaze fixed on his companion.

She too had been looking at the castle, the weight of its responsibility drowned in her large blue eyes. She sensed her partner's mood and looked up, her eyes shining.

"What about one more dance husband?" She queried. "A dance for us. Nobody else."

The man smiled at the words and leaned over to kiss her forehead. She was a tall woman, graceful and beautiful.
His heart felt as if it would burst with love that was so immense it almost hurt him.

"For us." He said stepped away from her. "And, for another I think."

She placed her hands in his, through better of it and rather wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oh?" She queried amused. "Who? You must know – I don't intend to share you with anybody tonight Skyler. I have waited five years for this day. Our first act of duty should be to do away with the five year engagement rule…"

The man grinned, his cheeks warming in the cool evening air as they started moving to the silent music of their hearts.

"Have you no shame wife?" He queried, loving the way the last word felt on his tongue. "There are still guests around."

She laughed softly, a beautiful sound, and gently kissed him in the neck.

"Let's order them to leave."

He laughed with her and wrapped his arms around her lithe body.

"That would make a terrible first impression."

The love he felt for her was overwhelming and in one beat crossed the threshold between comfort and pain. He held her as tightly as he dared as they moved together.

Unbidden, dark thoughts suddenly surfaced in his mind when he remembered the words of the person he was also dancing this dance for.

'I will never harm Dame Skyla! She is my mother…'

Like Skyla, he had though of young Cara, or rather – young Joanie – often in the first few weeks after their departure.

He had found himself obsessing about whether or not she had reached the home she had left, whether her Dame Skyla was still there – a widow at his brother's hand. He had hoped, with the twisted thoughts of a mad man, that her world was changed, that he was there and Skyla safe from the heartache his death had caused her.

Yet, in that same breath he had hoped that she had somehow found her world intact, that she and her friend's services and sacrifices were somehow rewarded.

He had spent long hours talking to Master Anwar about the subject in those first few months. His father's advisor and friend had been strangely vague on any ideas, almost as if he discouraged any thought on the matter.

A strange thing for a man who had always encouraged him to read as much as he could.
A year later, almost to the day that the group left, Master Anwar announced that he wanted to go travelling, to go and explore the lands beyond the Skyrealm. His father did not discourage the idea, knowing that it had been a dream of his friend for as long as he had known him, but he did convince him to stay until after Skyler was coronated.

That was going to happen the week after they returned from their honeymoon and Skyler wouldn't be surprised if the man was already packing.

A shiver of anticipation passed through him, he wasn't sure whether he was ready to take over ruling the wingdom.

A hand touched his cheek and he was quite suddenly aware of the fact that he and Skyla had stopped moving.

His new wife looked into his eyes, the stars reflected in hers. They were alone now all guest gone to their own homes and lives.

"Where are your thoughts, husband of mine?"

He looked at his wife, who stood almost as tall as himself in her wedding attire.

He smiled at her, took her hand from his face and planted a light kiss on her fingers. Putting his arm around her, but keeping her hand in his he drew her into another silent dance.

"Do you remember young Cara my love?"

He felt her stiffen briefly then looked up into his face with searching eyes.

"Yes," she said after a moment's thought, "heavens, I haven't thought of her in years. Why did you bring her up?"

They danced in silence for several minutes.

"She is the reason we are here tonight." Skyler answered after a moment's thought. "She gave me the idea of the dais. Or rather, she told me that we will get married on a white dais over looking the wingdom."

Skyla smiled gently and rested her head against him.

"I remember that she told me she had the gift to see the future." She said fondly. "She was so scared that evening. So foreign. It was a bit hard to believe, looking at her then, to imagine that she will do all that she did."
Skyler nodded slowly.

"It was." He said softly. "I didn't think she was of any importance." He hesitated. "Did you feel betrayed when she left?"
Skyla blinked and took her head away from him.

"Why do you ask?" She queried, but when he didn't reply she sighed and looked beyond him, her thoughts drifting back to that day five years ago.

"In the beginning yes." She said. "I did feel a bit betrayed. Or, more let down. As if she robbed me of a chance to have a great friend and a companion." Skyla shrugged. "But I was naïve then Skyler. Later, when I thought about it – I realised that I had done her a terrible injustice to put her in that position. And, I realised something I didn't realise at that time. There was something very sad about her. About all of them really. They carried a burden that I doubt we fully understood or comprehended. I'm not sure whether it was to do with leaving their realm, or because of their realm. It allowed the betrayal to filter away, and leave only the regret. The regret that I could not be a friend to her, rather than the other way around. Do you understand?"

Skyler smiled sadly and nodded.

"I understand my heart, I feel the same."

Skyla blinked.

"About Cara?"

Skyler sighed sadly, wishing suddenly that he had not spoken.

"About my brother." When Skyla paused to give him time to speak he continued. "Sometimes, I wish I had more time to be a brother to him rather than just letting him be a brother to me."

Skyla did pull away from him then, if only so that she could meet his eyes with ease.

"Skyler." She said her voice soft but determined. "You are not the reason your brother was not here tonight. He is choosing his own path husband. You have been all that you can be to him. I've seen you with him these past few years. You have done nothing wrong. If anything, you have bended over backwards to try and accommodate him and his mood swings."

Skyler shivered again – another remembered conversation flaring to life in his head.

'Then something happened, to me… Was my brother involved?'

'He was.'

They stopped dancing again, and this time Skyla wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"It's going to be all right Skyler." She insisted. "He is your brother. Things will be all right."

Skyler allowed her to hold him for a long time before he returned the hug and kissed her head.

"I know." He said softly, gently. "Because you are my wife. And tonight, that is all that matters. You are my wife, and I love you more than the stars above."
She smiled then, a beautiful smile.

"And I love you twice as much." She said with a small smile. "Now, why don't we try and see what's so different from being married than from being engaged?"

Skyler laughed, took her hands and swirled her into the air.

"You have no shame Skyla Zavere, no shame at all."

And in the palace, a man was packing up his study.

"My heart grows heavy, seeing you do that."

Master Anwar looked up and raised an eyebrow at the king as he stepped into the room.

"You'll hardly miss me your Highness." He said with an amused look. "There will be a lot of fuss from here onwards. Your youngest got married today and in two weeks he will be crowned king of the Skyrealms. A week later, you will have another Ceremony of Succession. One in which I suspect young Skyla will be chosen."
The court advisor and scribe smiled.

"Not to mention the fact that your wife is back from that other world." He chuckled. "No your Highness, you have no reason for a heavy heart. I won't be missed."

King Skyhawk watched him work in silence, taking note of how carefully he wrapped all his books in old linen and put them away in the heavy wooden chests.

"Where will all this go?" he asked after a moment. "Do you truly intend to be away for so long that you need to pack up your whole life?"

Master Anwar smiled amused and shrugged.

"It never hurts to be prepared." He said. "I want to go to my mother's old cottage tomorrow. I want to store my things there, maybe move in when I return. But, I suspect it's rather derelict. I would appreciate it if you can arrange with someone to repair it when I'm gone."

The king snorted and shook his head.
He looked around the room, then frowned slightly as a thought occurred to him.

"Why do you think Skyla will be chosen for succession at this very moment?" He queried. "I had thought that Skyclone would be a likelier candidate until Skyler and Skyla have children of their own."

Master Anwar did not answer immediately and rather turned his back on the king as he wrapped up two more books.

"Skyla is becoming a strong woman." He said. "And, forgive me your Highness but, in view of your other son's recent behaviour I have to say a much better candidate for the throne if something happens to Skyler."

The king didn't say anything to those words and rather, after brooding on a few dark thoughts, changed the subject.

"Where will you travel to?" The king queried. "How will you know, when that day comes, that you have travelled far enough?"
The other man laughed at these words.

"There's no such thing as far enough, your Highness." He said. "But, I guess – if you have to know, I intent to try and reach the realm beyond the Flightless Realm. If that is possible of course. Otherwise, I will explore as much as I can of the Flightless Realm as I intend to be the first person to write a book about it. Have you noticed that we have precious little knowledge of what lies there, and of the lands beyond?"

The king shook his head with an amused smile.

"This world is too small for you my friend." He said. "Your curiosity has grown to magnificent proportions ever since those six visitors from the realm beyond came to our court." He looked to the window. "I wonder if they ever returned home safely."
Master Anwar smiled and nodded to himself.

"Oh, I think they did."

The king fixed him with a stern look.

"You never told me what they discussed around the breakfast table." He said with mock irritation. "May I enquire as to what they discussed?"
His right hand man turned to smile at him, and shook his head ever so slightly.

"They only spoke of home your Highness." He said. "That was all."

The king raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall, studying his friend.

"Do you think you'll ever see them again?" He queried.
Master Anwar the Tinker hesitated over his book then nodded, and put it away.

"Oh, I think I will your Highness. I think I will."

And, in the future a dance academy's kitchen was occupied by six people in the dead of night.

"Man." Slam said as he poured himself a cup of hot chocolate and joined Joanie where she was sitting crossed legged on the kitchen counter, her math's work book spread out before her.

"Did you guys imagine that Dame Skyla could climb into anybody in the way she did when she found out we had the glove?"
Jade smiled slightly and carefully moved so that she was closer to Slam.

"At least she reprimanded us for having the glove Slam, and not disappearing on her for what?" She glanced at the others. "Five days?"
Camille shook her head in disbelief as she rummaged through the cupboards.

"Five days." She repeated. "It felt like a lifetime. I still can't believe it's the same day we left. I mean, wow."

Angelica chuckled softly from where she sat with Breeze at the table.

"Wow is like, such an understatement Camille." She said. "And, thank you guys. For sticking with me. You had every right just to just like, you know, throw me to the proverbial wolves or something. This was my fault."

Breeze shook his head and touched her arm lightly.

"I've been thinking about that Angel." He said softly, before turning to the others. "I'm thinking, this was something that should've happened. And, you messing with the Skyswirlstone just provided a conduit for it to happen."

Joanie gave him a tired look and closed her book.

"So you're saying that we were meant to go through. That I was meant to tell Skyler of his brother, that Master Robain was meant to die in the manner that he did to cause the vortex in the Netherworld and… That I was meant to fall asleep in Dame Skyla's truck in the beginning. Like, no choice or free will, just. Fate."

Breeze chuckled softly and unconsciously took Angelica's hand to kiss it.

"It's too late to debate that." He said. "But, yes, I think we were. There are no answers to these questions Joanie. But, here's another – how did you know that you would be okay when you came through? You were pretty insistent in the hall, and – I have to admit, almost too late."

Joanie blinked tiredly and rubbed her brow.

"I didn't." She admitted and yawned. "Not immediately, not definitively. But, I guess it was something that Master Robain told me. I didn't see it immediately; I didn't even understand that he was trying to tell me something." She yawned and opened her book again. "Looking back now, I think he knew from the beginning what was going to happen. He kept telling me that I couldn't change the past because I couldn't change what had already happened. It's…" She sighed. "Enough to give me a headache at this time of night. I can't think like that."

She closed her eyes.
Camille rejoined the group, bringing with her one of Senora Romano's secret stash of cookies. She held them up to each of her fellow students.

"I have a question." She said as she settled on the table close to Angelica and Breeze. "What now? Do we tell Skyla of this, or do we just let it pass?"

Jade shrugged. "What difference will it make Camille?"
The African-American girl shrugged and helped herself to a second cookie.

"It might give her some peace, that there was absolutely nothing that could've been done to prevent Skyclone from robbing her of her husband. That there was nothing more than she could've done. I mean, Joanie all but told Skyler what was going to happen. He could've prevented it but, it still happened. It was meant to be."

Jade shook her head quickly. "If you put it that way Camille, it will crush her."

The girl shrugged apologetically. "So we don't tell her then. It's as simple as that."

The Skydancers looked at each other and nodded ever so slightly. Slam edged over to Jade so that his shoulder could touch hers.

"Here's a thought." He said. "Who's going to take over the kingdom from Skyla if Skyler does not come back, what will happen then?"

The Skydancers frowned as they thought on this.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see." Jade said finally. "Dame Skyla never talks about it. I don't even truly know how the heir is chosen." She glanced at Joanie to see her nodding off. "I mean, it can't be conventional. Skyclone was the eldest and he wasn't the heir." She moved away from Slam, but not before touching his hand briefly, and went to tap their youngest on the shoulder.

"Let's get you to bed Joanie." She whispered softly when the young girl jerked awake. "That wonderful math that you love so much can wait till tomorrow."

The rest chuckled at the words. It had been very funny seeing Joanie leave in the way that she did.

Breeze stood up as well, pulling Angelica up with him.

"Tempus fugit." He said to himself. "Time, like us, flies you guys. Let's get to bed, we are all home safe and our world has not been changed. In the end I guess it is all that we can be grateful for."

He watched as Jade helped Joanie off of the counter and put a steadying arm around her shoulders.

"Tomorrow will take care of itself."

FIN – Time Walk Dance.

AN: And, that settles it. LOL. 93 pages, 65283 words and almost three years later I can finally close of this story.

I was grossly disappointed in myself for taking so long to finish it, but I've come to the conclusion that, time issues aside, I went into this fic completely unprepared and unsure of what I wanted to write. I wanted to put it in, but in truth, I had only had a beginning and an ending for it.
But, luckily I've managed through and I have to say BRAVO to those of you who stuck with me. Thank you guys, it's a great pleasure.

My plans forward is to repost the original Skydancers story that I posted "To Dance with Lords and Ladies" (the one that sort of started all of this) which is actually supposed to come after this story. So, it's time to get my time line right. After that, (it should go rather quickly, I only want to do some basic work revision work on it) I'll start on ANOTHER Fic that will be more Skyla centred: Ghost of a Rose.

And that is it, thank you for reading this – and thank you for seeing it through. I will remain, your humble servant for as long as you do so.

Hugz

Alyssa

ON A LAST NOTE -

This story is dedicated to all the new friends I had made in the course of writing this story. To Sue, who taught me what people are willing to do for love, to Ingrid who taught me how to survive without it. To Annalien who showed me that you don't need to be in your twenties to start a new life and to Sanet who can carry her burdens in silence. And… to the Marie's. I'm not going to say anything more. :P

And, to Arlene.
Always Arlene.