Inspired by the song "Daisy Bell" by Harry Dacre.
Daisy checked her reflection in the mirror once more, despite having checked only a few minutes prior. She had chosen to wear a dark blue sundress that brought out the deep blue color of her eyes. She had decided to eschew any makeup--it would be unnecessary after sunset, anyway.
She took a deep breath and let it out long and slow. It was okay to be nervous. After tonight, nothing would be the same.
A soft knock at the door told her that Rowan had arrived. She smoothed down her sundress, checked her reflection one last time, and went to answer the door.
Rowan gave her a tender kiss on the forehead as soon as she opened the door. "Don't you look beautiful tonight!"
Daisy tried to smile at his heartfelt compliment, but her anxiety ensured that the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Rowan, astute as ever, noticed immediately. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing." She looked up at the sky, where the sun was lingering just above the horizon. "We had better get going."
"So what do you have planned for us tonight?" Rowan asked. She led him outside to the shed, where she wheeled out her two-seater tandem bicycle.
Rowan stared. "You got a tandem bicycle?" A goofy grin was spreading across his face, and Daisy knew he had misunderstood her intentions.
She nodded at the back seat. "Just get on. We don't have much time."
He grinned and climbed on while she held the bicycle steady. "What's the hurry?"
"You'll see," was all she said. She climbed onto the bicycle and they pushed off.
They pedaled down the road together while Daisy steered. She immediately headed for the pond where they had fed the ducks together on their second date.
Rowan tried to make conversation with her during the ride, but Daisy's anxieties kept her from coming up with anything more than one-word answers. What if the sun set before they got there? What if Rowan didn't accept her? What if...? No. She couldn't focus on the negative. She couldn't let herself chicken out, not now. She was committed. She had to follow through.
The sun had just begun to dip beneath the horizon when they arrived at the ancient oak tree next to the pond, casting a blood-orange hue over the still water. A few ducks were squabbling over something nearby, and a couple of fish surfaced to snatch a bug before plopping back beneath the water.
Daisy and Rowan parked the bike beneath the oak tree. Daisy took Rowan's hand and pulled him over to a spot where they had a good view of both the water and the sunset.
"So....what now?" Rowan asked with an expectant smile that nearly broke Daisy's heart.
She checked on the sun. It was now halfway set--she had maybe two minutes, tops. She took a deep breath, then faced Rowan, taking both of his hands in hers.
"Nearly a week ago now you asked me if I loved you enough to spend the rest of my life with you," she said a little too quickly. She paused, licked her lips, took a breath, and continued. "I told you that I needed to give it some thought."
"Do you have your answer?" he asked softly.
"No," she said. "Well, yes. I mean--" She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. "I felt that it wouldn't be fair to give you my answer if I didn't show you my true self first."
His unkempt eyebrows scrunched together. "Your true self?"
The sun slipped beneath the horizon just as he said this, and Daisy couldn't have timed it better if she tried. She released his hands and took a step back.
The familiar change came over her, washing over her like a warm, clean waterfall. Her hair changed from its strawberry blonde into a glowing gold. Her eyes changed to an emerald-green cats-eye, and her sundress melted into flowing turquoise chiffon robes, while her flats became lightweight sandals.
Avoiding Rowan's gaze, she bent down and pressed her hand to the earth. Light shot out from her palm, zipping along the ground until it reached the ancient oak tree. The leaves began to glow a soft blue, and the branches twisted and stretched. Another zig-zag of light reached the pond behind her, and the water lit up in a spectacular array of blue, green, gold, and rose. Tiny specks of light rose up from the water, floating in the air like stars in the sky.
The land around her having awoken, there was nothing left for Daisy to do but stand and face Rowan. "This is my true self," she said, her voice slightly deeper and echoing.
The shock and confusion on Rowan's face twisted her heart even worse than she anticipated. Rowan had backed away a few paces, and he was looking at her as if she were a total stranger.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice cracking.
"By day I am the very Daisy you have come to know and love," she said, and she couldn't help the touch of sadness that seeped into her words. "By night, I am known as the Lady of the Woodlands, Guardian of the Flora and Fauna here."
"L--Lady of the Woodlands?" Rowan repeated. Daisy could see his eyes twitching, and his fingers started twisting his bottom lip the way he did when he was nervous or in deep thought. She couldn't tell which it was, though.
"Yes," she said. "It is my job to keep the energy in this part of the land stable, and to ensure that nothing harms any of the creatures living here."
"Are--are you some kind of goddess?"
Her lips cracked into a small smile, and she shook her head. "No one worships me. I am more of a guardian and noblewoman than a goddess."
His face twisted in a variety of emotions that she couldn't interpret. "This is why you always had to be home before sundown?"
She nodded. She wanted to say more, to keep explaining, but she recognized that he needed a moment to process everything.
A look of hurt on his face made her choke up. "You didn't trust me enough to tell me sooner?"
He stepped closer, his hand held out to touch her face, but before he could the ancient oak twisted one of its branches to block his path.
Now the look on his face was one of fright and surprise. "What--?"
Daisy placed her hand on the Oak Tree's outstretched branch. The leaves immediately around her hand glowed even brighter. "It's all right," she said to the ancient Oak. "He won't hurt me."
The Oak withdrew its branch, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
Rowan looked aghast. "I won't hurt you? What about the tree hurting me?"
Daisy tried to give him a reassuring smile, although she wasn't sure if it was at all effective. "The Oak is an ancient tree inhabited by an even older spirit," she explained. "It was only concerned for my well-being."
He gave her a look that told her he didn't quite believe her. He licked his lips, looking at her, at the tree, and at the pond.
"Can I have some time alone?" he asked, somewhat hesitant. "I need some time to take this all in."
Daisy's heart sank. She should have known he wouldn't accept it all right away. "Of course," she said. "I'll take the time to go look over my territory and make sure all is well."
Rowan gave a wary glance in the direction of the Oak. "The tree won't...?"
She walked over and placed her palm on its trunk, reaching out to it with her mind. The leaves shimmered as it responded. She turned back to Rowan. "I've asked it to protect you while I'm gone."
"Protect me?" he asked with alarm. "From what?"
"It's just a precaution," she said, deciding to not frighten him more with specifics. "Take all the time you need."
Daisy left him without waiting for an answer. She couldn't bear to stay there much longer; she, too, needed some time alone. After all, there was a good chance he would decide that her deception was too much for him, too large of a lack of trust in him. She had to prepare her heart for the possibility that he might reject her, that she might lose him forever.
Daisy made her way around the pond, checking on things and giving her energy here and there. She stopped to pet a flock of glowing, metallic birds that had stopped to replenish themselves mid-migration. Their feathers gleamed silver and gold, and their eyes sparkled like finely-cut diamonds. Halfway around the pond, she checked on a colony of pixies, where she learned that some teenagers had been setting off fireworks on the edge of her territory and terrifying the poor things the past few nights. She reassured them that she would look into it, then made her way back around the pond to the ancient Oak.
She found Rowan standing facing the tree, his hands in his pockets. He appeared to be speaking to the tree, although she only caught the tail end of his words before he noticed her presence. "...got to protect her and not the other way around, you know?"
He noticed her and blushed at being caught talking to the tree. "I wasn't sure if it could understand me or not," he explained. "And talking aloud helped me think."
She nodded. "Do you need more time to think things over?"
Rowan shook his head. "Before I tell you what I think, could I get your answer first?"
Daisy was puzzled. "To what?"
He bit his lip. "Your answer to my question from last week."
She blinked, surprised. "Wasn't it obvious that this was my answer?"
He frowned. "How is this your answer?"
She let out a shaky laugh. "I thought revealing my secret was proof that I loved you enough to trust you with it."
Rowan looked stunned at her response. "Really?" he asked, his voice squeaking a little. He cleared his throat and took her hands in his. "You mean it?"
"Of course I do!" Daisy said with relief. "Are you saying you accept me in my true form?"
Rowan scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I mean, it's a bit of a shock, and I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me sooner. But after giving it some thought, I can see why you were hesitant to tell me before now. And, well, it will take me some time to get used to the idea, but I realized that no matter what you look like, or what name or powers or whatever that you have, you're still the same Daisy I fell in love with." He looked her in the eyes as he said this, and she could see his sincerity. "That's the truth."
She squealed and threw her arms around his neck, completely destroying any image of the dignified Lady of the Woodlands she might have had before. Rowan hugged her back, then picked her up and spun her around. Then, setting her down, he kissed her long and hard. Daisy's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt the warmth of magic bubble up in her chest.
Rowan pulled away. "Whoa."
She gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry."
He shook his head and grinned. "It's fine, I just didn't expect that." He touched her cheek. "May I kiss you again?" he asked.
She answered by putting her mouth to his. Again she felt the warmth of magic rise up in her chest and spill out her lips and hands where they touched Rowan's.
When they finally pulled apart, Rowan was beaming--literally. His eyes and hair glowed briefly before gradually dimming back to their natural state. "Wow," he said. Then a playful smile settled on his lips. "Did you know that your magic kisses taste like pineapples and mangoes?"
She laughed, filled with joy to finally be herself around the love of her life.
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