Lately the Lord has been teaching me what joy is, and so I wanted to share a little bit of my personal journey with you.

1: Radiance

He looked onto the girl with reverent eyes
And upon his face was slapped surprise.
Her hair bound ‘round her in rolling cadence
And harmony with her smile of radiance.

2: Laughter

He listened unto the girl with pleasure plain
As she giggled like a brook after playful rain.
None could look anywhere but at her
With the song of her soulful laughter.

3: Embrace

Ileuad pulled her mud stained cloak tighter around herself, trying not to wake Ewen. She shuddered in the cold, and cast a glance over to the other side of the cave. There Adaon lay, never to rise again. He was shrouded in his dark cloak in the very farthest corner of the cave.

In my dreams, I race very fast,
In my dreams, I flee from my past.
In my dreams, towards the future I run
In my dreams, we’ve only just begun.

Of every soul I’ve ever met,
You are my favorite, as of yet.
And even now when you are gone,
My love for you goes on and on.

And after all these years, my friend of old,
You still have that heart, made of gold.
And after all these years that we’ve been bound,
I realize my heart had been lost, then found.

It had been hours. A doctor had been summoned, Grandfather was rushed into one of the rooms of the estate, and the party was disbanded. Ettore had waited long enough outside the room in which the doctor was with Grandfather. He sat at the bedside and he observed how sick the man who raised him was. The doctor said his heart had stopped, but somehow, Ettore’s thoughtless reasoning kept him alive a little longer.
The room was silent and dark.

This chapter has no definite name. Since this novel is structured for later publication, I'd prefer a chapter name. If any of you have suggestions after reading it I'd love that!

I see a bride
She stands in white
Golden hair surrounds her face
I see a bride
Her richness found
In heart and hand
With love and grace
I see a bride
Her joy abounds
Her groom smiles brightly
His love is bound
For love binds easy
Yielded hearts
Such bondage welcome
Cheered by all
I see a bride
Her heart unfolding
Petals soft and pure and right
I see a bride
Her vows beginning
She stands tall
Tender
Bright
I see a bride
Her love unending

"So that's what you are,"

He whispered in awe.

"Yes, that is what I am; no more, no less. So take me as I am, or leave me. All I ask is that you decide quickly, and spare me the pain of waiting."

Her soft voice came in halts, strangely foreign to her normally smooth tones. It barely sounded above the pouring rain.

He watched the water drip through her eyelashes and slowly roll down the bridge of her nose while he prepared his answer.

***

Removed for contest entry