Most Precious

Many years ago a ring was locked in a box
Placed into the earth with tender loving hands
Covered with soil to keep it hidden from those who sought to possess it
          -not for what it represented, but for its worth
For how could a chance discovery fate it to become a mere bauble
when to its rightful owner it must be passed

A perfect circle of the brightest gold, with magic sprinkled not a fortnight gone
it was not what it seemed to the careless bystander
Held closely against its wielder's heart, the faint thumping of a heartbeat could be felt
and satisfied the magic held, the old woman placed her kiss upon it
Placing it tenderly upon the softest velvet, held securely in place by a lock of her hair
The wishsong escaped from her gravely throat and unto the Gods she sang:

Favors she had bestowed on the Gods who, contrary to belief, are not entirely immortal
Their lives she had once saved, and in turn, one wish was bestowed upon her
As she felt her days numbered, as well as the days of her husband,
the thought of being apart from him in death kept her from many sleep-filled nights
Until one such night, from out of nowhere the thought touched her mind
and she shook her husband awake with a smile

To Him she told of the unbidden plan and she was not surprised when he readily consented
She smothered him with Christmas love, as this was the night of the Northern Star
Hand in hand, they approached the Gods who were sympathetically touched by their love
And spoke of the future, and of their desire to live as one again
Unto the Gods they offered their present state of consciousness, willingly giving themselves at that moment
to whatever magic that would one day reincarnate them
Their hands held fast to bind them

Coming out of the dream into which they were placed, the old woman found herself in the greenest of meadows
She looked down into her hand and instinctively knew the ring was her beloved, magically transferred into a band of finest gold
For it breathed, it lived, and the heart beat in the oval that was their love --
          -For it was ordained that they would come full circle, and meet again
in a world a thousand years older.

* * * * * * *

On the first day of the beginning of the thousandth-and-first year, a young woman toiled at her labor, working diligently at her computer
and as the courier approached her desk and sat down she looked up at him in recognition and joy
"It is heaven on earth to see you again, my dear Husband" she smiled unto the blue-uniformed man
"As it is to see the sunshine upon your face once more, my Love" he smiled back
          - He reached for her, and their arms entwined the living, breathing body of the other
And as they rested their foreheads against each other and gazed into each other's blue eyes
They thanked the Gods for keeping their promise, and began eternal life with each other once more.

AJW CLM