A Tale Before Bedtime

"A fable of romance through the ages'   "Legend tells that long, long ago there lived a band of heroes. One of those heroes was a human man, named Jethro. One was an elf woman, called Caylis.   Jethro and Caylis had two similar but separate goals they had to accomplish: Jethro had to avenge the death of his family by a powerful demigod, and Caylis to avenge the murder of her sister.   After being thwarted at every turn, the demigod's anger deepened, and he nearly destroyed the world. Caylis and Jethro, alongside their friends, had no choice but to flee into the Eternal Fields, a plain of purgatory meant for holding souls until they pass into the afterlife, with the help of their Aasimar companion. They went to petition the Gods for assistance in thwarting this threat to their realm, but the Gods needed time to deliberate.   For years they lingered together, many years, and the two fell in love. They spent much of their time together, until the eventually married and gave life to four happy, beautiful children. Their goal had almost been forgotten in their adoration of one another and the family they had made, when a messenger arrived at their home with a simple answer: They would not offer Their assistance on the matter.   X   When the finally faced the demigod once more, seemingly stronger, it proved ineffective. With ease, He disposed of them with ease. As each one fell around him, Jethro's fighting only faltered when he looked and saw Caylis killed beside him. One second of hesitation was all it took for his life to be snuffed out too. His last thought was that at least he would be with her in the afterlife.   But it was not the familiar Eternal Plains by which Jethro awoke, but The Nine Hells. Before him stood the King of the Hell; Asmodeus . Jethro fell to his knees, confused and terrified and awestruck, and with nothing left to lose but his soul, Jethro struck a bargain with the demon lord.   Back on the mortal plane, Caylis stirred, blinking once, twice, three times before opening her eyes. She stood, her hands moving to the fatal sword wound through her torso, only to find it... whole? Unbloodied? No puncture wound existed on her. She glanced around and saw Jethro approaching her, his arms outstretched towards his wife.   'What happened?!' Caylis cried, engulfed in his arms, and he reluctantly released her to explain. Asmodeus had offered Jethro the power to end the demigod's life, as well as restore the lives of Caylis and the rest of their companions, but in return Jethro had to offer a life of service to the Nine Hells. He only had a brief few moments before a devil came to collect him and drag him before the throne of hell.   Caylis went to argue, but Jethro shook his head. There was no point, he said, the bargain had been struck, the deal said and done. Ten thousand years in servitude to Asmodeus, and then he was free to return to his life on Aloreon.   'I will wait' she whispered to him as he faded away from sight. She wasn't sure if he had heard her before he left, or if it was a promise murmured to the wind. Caylis, alongside her friends, returned home with their spirits darkened and their hearts heavy to the chorus of cheers and praise from the common folk. They built a statue to commemorate Jethro's sacrifice, lost in the line of duty, and Caylis raised their children on stories of their father's heroism.   Unbeknownst to Caylis, Jethro had heard her promise, and it sustained him throughout the years of slavery. Year after year crawled by, painfully slow, each day more torturous than the last, but the thought of Caylis and their children kept Jethro pushing. His mind nearly broke - no human is meant to ensure the passing of centuries, let alone millennia. Yet each year that passed was a year closer to the return of his family, and against all odds he fought against his death and insanity.   Many years later... Caylis couldn't recall how long it had been, she was returning home one evening. Her four children had gone their separate ways in the world, off to make their own lives and own livings, but her youngest son, born after his father's demise, resided still with his mother, intent on not leaving her all alone in the world. He never understood why his mother had never remarried after all those years, but she was always intent on never moving on.   Caylis opened the door of her home and saw a man sitting at her table. He had an easy smile and brown tussled hair and at once Caylis recognized him.   'I knew you weren't lying,' Jethro said as he stood to embrace her. She was at his side in an instant, and it was as if they had never parted. 'Never, she smiled, as she looked up at him. Ten thousand years had passed, which had felt like a million to Jethro the human, and a hundred to an immortal elf.   In the interest of fairness, and in return for leal and proper service, Asmodeus had granted Jethro one additional boon for his work. Jethro was granted immortality as well as his life, so he might stand as a testament to the power of Hell for all eternity.   And so Jethro and Caylis, after life and death and all the things in between, finally got their ever-after, together at last. They retreated to a remote mountaintop retreat, building a home and a farm and anything else they needed, just the two of them. Some say that the two lovers still live on that mountaintop, isolated from the world, isolated from the Gods and the Hells, content to be left alone.   ~~~~   "I just love when you tell that story, Mother!" Eryanna swooned in bed, eyes a-fluttering. "I hope I find a handsome man who adores me just as much one day!"   "Fat chance" Edmure snorted, rolling his eyes in the bunkbed below her. "All that sappy love stuff makes me wanna gag. Why do we always get the story that she wants?"   "Because she is your little sister, Edmure." Their mother chided gently with a laugh. "You got seven years of choosing the bedtime story you wanted."   "I'm just saying," Edmure exclaimed, sitting up straight in bed and leaning over so he could speak more clearly to his little sister. "Do you really think it would have been Asmodeus to save the world, and not our Gods? They would never abandon us as such, to leave us at the whims of a demon. I don't think so! And how would they know Jethro's last thoughts before he died?"   Eryanna pouted at him. "Because... because he wrote it down after he came back to life?"   "No, because its a fake, made-up story. At least if we're gonna hear bedtime stories, we can listen to something cool, and real, like The Golden King; Mit'ilaro purging the Cult of the Damned, or The Golden King; Mit'ilaro conquering the rebel kingdom of the Tyrant Queen, or even The Golden King; Mit'ilaro taking down the local slavery rings. Now THERE are some neat stories that actually happened!"   Eryanna stuck her tongue out at Edmure and slumped back against her pillow as Edmure lay back down. Their mother stood and walked to their bedside, giving each child a gentle kiss on the forehead as she tucked their blankets up right to their chins. "Rest your eyes now, my children. You got your story. Now it's time for bed."   "Goodnight mother", they both murmured quietly, and as the door closed behind mother, Edmure fell asleep to thoughts of battle and glory and their King, while Eryanna dreamed of knights and love and Gods.