She watched from afar, as she had throughout her life. The balcony overlooked the lavish gardens below, and above the sky glistened with so many countless stars that she could barely tell where the sky ceased and the sprawling city beneath began. It was like the world ended just beyond the gardens, and the sea of space enclosed her balustrade.

For the couple below her, the world did not even seem to exist beyond their gentle touch. Slowly they danced across the soft ground, sharing quiet words and stolen kisses. She smiled at them from her perch, but a small part of her heart tightened in her chest. She was proud of them more than she could ever express, and she loved them as if they were her own. For them to create this utopia, she had given her life, sacrificed everything she had to make sure they were finally happy.

They were beautiful, but now in this peaceful interlude where her role was no longer needed, she couldn't help but feel covetous.

They were the miracle romance; born from the ashes of strife and turmoil and resurrected to something seemingly stronger than earthy love. A love of her own she had, but her love existed in the shadows of a dream come true. How could a love survive against such brilliance?

Unannounced, she felt something soft touch her bare arm, and it caused her to jump. Cursing herself for getting frightened, she turned to face the tender culprit. Her eyes opened widely in surprise as a beautiful yellow lily presented itself before her proudly. It was held in the careful grasp of a pale hand, and she followed the curve of the arm until she found his piercing eyes.

"For me?" she asked breathlessly. He nodded with a silly grin and graciously she took the blooming flower. As she let the sweet scent fill her lungs, his warm hand gently found her back, and for a moment she forgot the cutting worries lurking in her mind.

"What are you doing here? Spying?"

"Yes, you've caught me red handed." Rolling eyes answered his half-hearted accusation. "I was just making sure they were all right."

"I know you better than that. After all, we've been together for more millenniums than I can count. What's on your mind?"

"I just..." The words fell from her lips as emotions stirred within her eyes. She turned away from him so he could not see her falter. There was another emotion, even more prominent than her jealousy, that caused her eyes to glisten. Guilt.

She was her guardian, her advisor, her subject. The others served her selflessly and completely, and she had splintered her loyalty. In her mind she was an unwilling deserter who had been caught in the delicate stronghold of love. Though she had tried her best, and fought her longest to resist its lure, she could not escape in the end. She was weak. Someone like herself didn't deserve to be in her shadow.

"We can never be like them, we aren't of their light. And I love you, but how can we do this to them?"

"The flower is from her," he revealed. She gasped and her eyes fell to the gardens once more. Brigt blue eyes gazed up at her, a secretive smirk on rosy lips. She felt the cold caress of a tear on her cheek as the woman she had watched grow into a heroine nodded at her, a wordless gesture of friendship and love.

"She told me to tell you no love is greater than another; no love can shadow someone else's true love. All stars are born from the same place. The flower might be from her, but what is inside is from me," he continued.

Gently she reached between the silky petals and found something solid within. The diamond sparkled like the distant heavenly bodies aloft. She sighed, feeling as if she was lost in the endless depths that surrounded them.

"Marry me?" he whispered into her ear, and the space in her pounding heart collapsed; hollow emotions of worry being replaced by the sublime relief of joy. She had been so afraid, but as she looked into her cerulean eyes again, she knew that she never had to fear. She beamed happily at her queen, her friend, and mouthed a silent thank you.

"Well?"

"Honestly, if you've known me for more millenniums than you can count you could afford to give me a moment." The man before her sheepishly smiled, putting a hand on the back of his head nervously. She laughed amiably, finding it hard to resist his ridiculous charm.

"I've never been happier..." She touched his face gently and answered his question with a loving kiss. The shadows of the night embraced them one last time, as finally their love was allowed to shine amongst the stars.