When I was little, I used to believe in happy endings. You know, the kind in fables, myths and fairytales, where the knight in shining armor marries the princess and whisks her off into the sunset. I believed that everyone, angels and vampires alike, got a happily ever after. How naïve I was. Now, however, I know better. Now, I know that happy endings are just in stories, and life is not a story.

"Leave. Leave and never come back, Vanessa Lancaster," the Master Vampire stares at me with harsh blood-red eyes.

This can't be happening.

"Why? I saved the Tree! Shouldn't I be celebrated? Shouldn't I be cherished?"

"You were supposed to use the Tree's power for us. Not some stupid human boy. You were supposed to kill off all our enemies! Make a vampire never be hindered by sunlight or the need for blood! Not save some pathetic creature!" He is barely an inch away from me; he is so close, I can smell the acrid stench of his breath. "You, Vanessa Lancaster, are a disgrace to the Vampires."

No, no, no. This is all so wrong.

"Well maybe you should have made that more clear! I still saved the Tree, didn't I! I defeated the Guardian that is only told about in myths! I survived the impossible! And what did you do? Sit here at the nest pulling strings and controlling everyone?" By the end of my rant I'm yelling; I refuse to get in trouble and be chastised for doing what I was told. I just saved the whole freaking world.

"Leave now, before I kill you," He stares down at me, cold and unforgiving.

"What?" I'm dumbfounded and frozen in my place. I can't breathe.

"Now, Vanessa Lancaster," he smirks and retreats back into the darkness of his home. I force myself to leave the nest and run to my house, where David is waiting for me.

"How'd it go? When's the celebration going to be?" David's smile shines brighter than the sun, contrasting the darkness of the moon in my solemn eyes. I don't want to ruin his joy. I hesitate to speak, but he eventually gets me to say what's on my mind, he always does.

"There isn't going to be a celebration. I- I've been exiled." I press my eyes shut and a tear escapes from them. David pulls me into a tight hug, then whispers in my ear, "We can still have a celebration outside of the nest. They don't own us. Besides, I still have a celebration planned." Then he backs away from the hug and hands me a large box.

"You really didn't have to get me anything. I mean, sure, I brought you back to life and all, but I didn't do it for a silly little gift," I say as I pull the ribbon and lid off the box. Secretly, I am elated to have a gift from him. Anything that is a reminder that he is alive again.

"Don't worry, I didn't just get this. This box has been waiting for you to open it since the day I died."

Inside the box lies the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my life. I pull it out and stare at the shimmering designs of silver vines weaving around the white lace. The bottom of the dress skims the floor and the sleeves brush my elbows, the soft fabric like a cloud on my skin.

"It's gorgeous," I gasp, the tears of anger morphing into happiness. David doesn't say anything, but he hands me another box, a large grin on his face. This time, it's a lot smaller. I pull off the lid with ease, and inside the box is a pendant; however, instead of a rose, this one holds a ring, fashioned out of thin silver strands that matches the weaving silver vines on my dress.

More tears begin to trickle out now. The silver ring shines in the light refracted through the pristine glass. I can't believe it.

"It's since you crushed the last one. And, I wanted to get you an actual ring. Now, I know I already asked you to marry me, and I know you said yes, but I can't wait any longer for you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

Tears are pouring down the side of my face; I'm so happy that in this moment, I have almost, almost, forgotten about my banishment.

"Oh, David! I will! When? You know, it will have to be outside of the nest. Maybe even Tikit," I ramble on, gently set the dress and necklace on a table beside me and pulling David into a kiss.

"Tomorrow, then. I can't wait any longer than that. We can have a simple wedding just on the outskirts of Tikit with just us two and anyone else we would want."

"I don't need anyone but you there, David."

* * * * *

The next evening, I stand among the snowy trees of Tikit, glowing like the fading sunlight on the frosty ground in my dress. David looks down at me, smiles, and brushes my hair behind one ear. The officiant, David's sister and our only guest, stands behind both of us and grins.

The sky is a brilliant orange filled in with yellow, slowly fading to a rosey violet, and then finally to a dusky blue. The air is growing colder and our breaths are white against the air. We stand still in the snow, only the night-time melodies of the birds disturbing the silence, and snowy breaths only disturbing the air.

Everything is perfect, more perfect than it ever has been before in my entire lifetime. David takes a deep breath and begins to speak his vows, "I love you Vanessa Lancaster; I love you more than the world, more than the sun, moon, and stars. I love you more than Aimsir.

"From the moment that I first saw you, I knew that you were the person that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. That still stands true now as I look at your beauty. I will give my life for you, again, and I never want to be separated from you. I, David Hawthorne, take you, Vanessa Lancaster, to be my beloved wife. Through rain and sun, easy and hard, cold and hot, I will love you forever. Even after death.

"I'm not good at expressing my feelings, and I'm not sure that I can top your amazing vow. But, I'll try," I take a deep breath and say the first things that come to my mind.

"And I, Vanessa Lancaster, love you, David Hawthorne, and take you to be my husband. I will care for you, trust in you, and put my faith in you. I loved you after you died, and I still love you while you're alive. I will never give up on you. I love you more than life itself. "

David's sister looks down at the pair of us and smiles, "You may kiss the bride."

Between us lies barely an inch, and then the space between us is closed. In that moment, nothing but joy courses through my veins. There is no room for fear of my banishment, sadness of my leaving, greed, or any of the darkness in my heart. Only joy, light, love, and passion.

I am a princess about to be whisked off into the sunset by my prince in shining armour.

You know what? Maybe happy endings do exist outside of fairytales. I'm living one right now.