The Right Choice

There is nothing simple in life. Not even existing is simple or easy and many find the choices they must face to be unbearable. Some believe that love is a soul driving force and through it anything can be achieved. He had never been in love, there were many women in his life – but he had never known the bitter embrace of not being able to live without someone. For curiosity’s sake he thought to give it a try.

This particular young man was born a trickster. He had no idea how to really love anyone. In fact many other kings and queens had argued that this man was nothing more than a joke using everyone as his personal play things. His cute red ears and puffy tail belied a dark intent. His pale eyes were playful and seemingly kind. But being born of fox kin gave him a dark maturity and realization about the world in general. He never cared to have a name until he met her. He becomes Durga for her, while the reasoning may seem simple – he never did understand why.

She found him sleeping lazily in Gureta Palace gardens. A sheltered girl without an idea for reputation, her waist length blonde hair was pulled back neatly in a pony tail. It fell listlessly between her white wings and almost seemed to fade into her pale delicate skin. Her name is simply Princess, thought to be too divine to actually utter. She became Rosalyn, she never had the courage to ask.

Rosalyn shelters him from the sun as she looks at him curiously. Her wings giving a particular shimmer as the sun beams pass over them. Durga awakens with a jolt, his eyes casting an uncharacteristic kindness to her form.

“Dear sir,” She softly speaks, “I do not think you should be sleeping here.”

He does not respond because his name is not ‘dear sir’. Catching his reluctant idea to ignore her she introduces herself.

Her hand rests on her heart as she smiles, “They call me princess.”

Red ears perk up and he sits up with a grin. “As a king, I need no more name than ‘Your Highness’.” Durga stands shaking his head, “But I refuse to call you princess – you need a name better than that - Rosalyn. I like that.”

There is little care in his mind if she actually likes it.

“You are not my king, so then, what should I call you instead?”

The Fox king’s grin grows wider, “I could be your king.” He shrugs off her question, “Does it even matter what one is really named? A rose will always smell just as sweet.”

Rosalyn is unprepared to deal with such a man. Never before has she come across someone so playful and vibrant. At a loss for words she quickly changes the subject. “What are you doing here?”

“Slaying demons.” He answers with forced widened eyes that quickly return to normal before he turns around with a yawn, “I’ve met your king to do a job. I’m waiting for him and his council to come up with some suitable reward.”

His emphasis on his words forces a chill down her spine. She has an odd feeling rising in the pit of her stomach, but she’s also in awe of a man strong enough to slay evil.

“You remind me of Durga.” Rosalyn off-handedly remarks.

Despite knowing this ancient warrior as a woman he concedes to the name. But only because her face looks so true and innocent, only because he knows she really means no offense.

“From this day forward, I shall be known as Durga.” He declares, “If only to keep that innocent smile on the lovely Rosalyn’s face.”

Rosalyn’s father joins them in the courtyard. He immediately sends his daughter away and faces the fox king with a grim look.

He responds forcefully. “You have said that gold holds no real value to you. You have said that gemstones are nothing but mere rocks in your palms. The only thing you seemed to care for was our dancers but they are all sworn to the temple and not allowed to take husbands or lovers.” He pauses as he stares at Durga’s boots, “We have nothing that would interest you.”

Durga chuckles, “You have one thing. She’s not a dancer, but, I’m sure she has the features I’m looking for.” He lets out another laugh, his arms crossing, as he catches Rosalyn trying to be discrete about looking to the garden from her bedroom. “The gods willing she’s better than the beauties you have kept to yourself.”

“And how did this woman win your fancy?” The king inquires, “I shall do all in my power to get her to you.”

It is clear to Durga the king has no real brains in that head of his. “She was but a passing angel.” Durga waves to Rosalyn sending the king’s eyes upwards. She tries to duck behind the curtains but knows she has been caught. “In simple terms, King Gureta, I want your daughter. The deal is simple.  You give me the girl and I’ll be on my way; hell, I’ll even praise the Gureta kingdom for being the top of their game. For being generous and gracious, for always paying what is due.”

There is a long silence, “And if I don’t?”

Durga’s pale eyes should not hold such darkness, “I’ll destroy your kingdom and take her by force.”

There is no right or wrong choice. It is easy for father to instinctively protect his beloved daughter. But it is equally natural for a king to want to protect his country.

Durga is pleased by the conflict in his fellow king’s eyes. He is amused by the discontent that now begins to blossom in this man’s bosom. His fingers carelessly trace numbers and objects in the air. His lips curve into a cruel smile.

“I grow weary, King Gureta. Your daughter woke me from my nap, and I simply don’t have the patience or energy to idly wait for a reply.” He stretches again as his fingertips begin to glow brilliantly.

“I will call her for you.” The king finally concedes. He sends a guard away and Rosalyn is brought almost immediately.

Rosalyn is an obedient woman. She knows what is happening before it happens, she simply understands the look in her father’s eyes. She bows respectfully to her father; his white wings hang sadly as he tries not to let this decision show on his face. She bows to the fox king, his ears are perky and his tail flicks back and forth.

“Ah the lovely Rosalyn.” Durga chirps, “Tell me, do you like to travel?”

“If it is what His Highness wishes, I shall learn too.”

Taking her hands he answers, “Now, that won’t do. You know to call me Durga.”

The look on her father’s face is too priceless for the fox to hold his chuckles in. And he is way to amused by his newest toy that he does not care to explain anything despite inquiring eyes. He whisks her away to many lands and it is three years before they return to the water kingdom of Gureta. The couple returns for a festival not as fox king and prize but as husband and wife.

“Thank you Durga.” Rosalyn joyfully answers as he puts his cloak around her shoulders. She has long hidden her wings because he prefers to walk.

He thinks nothing of it, yawning with a reply that comes off as more lazy than tired. “That’s why I’m here.”

“So you say, but it would be more amusing for you to see me shiver beneath the early spring wind.” She quips.

“And less pleasing tonight should I anger you before sunset.” Durga wraps his arms around her waist fiddling with the cloak ties trying to decide if she is right or wrong. His head rests on her shoulder as he lets out several low growls to the crow who is coming towards them.

“Please kind sirs,” he chokes, “Spare some time for a sickling?”

Durga will have none of it. There is nothing fun about picking on crows. They are simply inferior tricksters.

“Go away.” Durga demands.

Rosalyn disagrees, “What is your name, child?”

“Omionake.” He clears his throat as though there is something caught, he swallows hard and keeps his eyes fixated on the boots of the nobility before him.

“If you help him,” Durga half growls, “I’m leaving.”

“Durga! This child needs help,” Rosalyn answers in a short way, “What kind of man would refuse to help someone?”

Durga lets her go instantly turning on his heels as he leans to the crow, “You’re a dead man.” He leaves his cloak with Rosalyn simply giving her his normal lazy answers, “It doesn’t amuse me.” And he’s gone before she can respond muttering, “Foolish woman, you can’t trick a trickster. But if you’re so intent to help, I may as well let you learn.”

Infuriated by her husband’s actions she pulls his cloak from her shoulders and folds it into her bag. She thrusts it inside forcefully as though she could really take this out on him. She mutters, “Foolish man, you should know how much I love you. And this is why I cannot turn down a trickster.”

It is several weeks before she sees him again. They have simply decided to live separate lives. And pride is a terrible thing, but it is not so forth coming as truth. Omionake has lead Rosalyn to a spring she knows holds a great and terrible beast. She knows if she steps too close to the water’s edge the beast will devour her. And perhaps this is the crow’s intent. Or rather it had been at one point. For as soon as the beast begins to surface he has a change of heart.

“Please my dear lady, you must run.” Omionake pales in comparison to the creature. “I meant only to kill the fox king and retrieve you for your father. But you have separated and are too intent on continuing this journey.”

“I do not run in the face of danger.” Rosalyn answers, “If you wish to kill Durga then you must kill me. I cannot live without him and these last weeks have been nothing but pain. If I cannot have Durga I really have nothing.”

She stands tall as she grabs Omionake’s shoulder and forces him back. The great water beast roars and lunges at her. Rosalyn thinks only one thing, “Durga, I love you.”

His hand catches the large teeth and he looks back incredulously, “Are you trying to get yourself killed Rosalyn? I swear the heron people are bred for stupidity!” He doesn’t out right say it, instead he mutters under his breath, “Foolish woman, I’d do anything for you.”

Rosalyn sees through his harsh words, tears line her cheeks as she begins to sob. “Durga, I’m sorry! I never meant to be angry with you.”

“We can talk after this beast is dead,” Durga bites, “If it’s not too inconvenient for you.”

He is a man of action, one who only did what would amuse him before. He has taken a liking to a woman he should not be at all compatible with. She was honest and true, where he was not. And it came to be that he adopted some of her better traits and she adopted some of his worse.

Durga rips through the water demon as though it is nothing more than paper. And he turns on his heels to sweep his bride into his arms. Omionake stands in a dumbfounded awe as to how easily the fox king had destroyed the beast and he begins to shiver beneath himself in terror.

“About the child?” Durga gruffly inquires.

Rosalyn looks up at Durga and is silent for several minutes. She holds tightly to his tunic listening to the steady beat of his heart, “I think he’s learned his lesson. Let him live, My dear Durga?”

“Only because you have asked me.” He responds. Durga turns to the crow, “If you wish to live you will swear loyalty to me and my queen. If you falter, I will kill you.”

Omionake nods fitfully for no words will come. Durga takes them to the cabin he had been staying in. And Rosalyn is not surprised how easy it was for him to keep tabs on her. She smiles, proud that her husband cannot even keep this promise.


**Alternate Ending 1**
She stands tall as she grabs Omionake’s shoulder and forces him back. The great water beast roars and lunges at her. Rosalyn thinks only one thing, “Durga, forgive me.”

He is too late to the beast. Durga has been too angry and lazy to keep up with his wife’s habits. When he realizes there is danger she’s already dying. She lies in his arms. “Durga, I’m sorry! I never meant to be angry with you.”

He shakes his head, “Don’t talk you fool. It will kill you.”
“I’m happy to have seen you again, Durga.” She gasps, “I love you.”

Her body dissipates into nothing more than puddles and she falls through his arms as though she had never been anything more than the spring itself. Something in his mind snaps and he realizes just how much he really loved her. Loved. He wasn’t amused by her. His heart wrenches terribly and he loses control of his power.

Durga has been known to have a terrible temper. Slightly less terrible since Rosalyn had appeared and now that she was gone he had no desire to hold anything in.

His body begins to glow as he decimates the beast in an instant. He turns his rage to the lake. It dries up in his fury and he turns to Omionake with cold eyes. It would be nice if Durga could blame this child for it. But he knows he is in the wrong for having left her side. He knows he should have followed her more closely.

But without Rosalyn he has no reason. He does not realize when he has killed Omionake, and he does not realize he is even in the wrong when he tears through the festival and unites all the kingdoms under his rule.

Nothing is fun anymore. Durga tried to believe that with so many cultures at his fingertips something might catch his interest. But he can still hear her cry as the water washes over his hands. And he can still see how truly happy she was to see him when the sun shines through his window. And there is nothing worth Rosalyn in this world.


**Alternate Ending 2**
She stands tall as she grabs Omionake’s shoulder and forces him back. The great water beast roars and lunges at her. Rosalyn thinks only one thing, “Durga, you fool!”

Her hands rise as she parts the water. As the Princess of these lands she is easily able to predict the creature’s movement and weaknesses. It struggles against the lakebed trying to draw water to move. She takes her anger on her husband out on the creature and the spring. Rosalyn’s eyes become distant and cold as it all freezes in place and shatters as though there was nothing there at all.

She turns to Omionake, “You’ll not so easily kill Durga, if I can beat such a little beast.”

He stands in terror of a power that few knew about. Rosalyn looks long and hard at Durga and he simply shrugs and yawns in response.

“Same as always, Rosalyn.” He takes her hand, “Still mad?”

She clicks her tongue, “Of course I am. You should have come and saved me!”

Durga shakes his head, “There’s a lot we should have done that we haven’t.”