Hybrid Misfit

Epilogue

Simon and Gene ended up not letting me out of bed for a week, although I was allowed to check in with my best friends by phone in between bouts. Did I mention I’d never felt better or smiled more?

Reality eventually intruded in the form of my promise to Limbo tugging at me. I’d told the boys about my deal with the entity that wasn’t exactly alive-and who boggled the mind-and how I’d promised I’d kind of rule over it. My task? To ensure that the balance was kept between good and evil. My lovers didn’t look surprised, and declared they knew that as the first hybrid misfit, I was destined for great things. My reply was a large snort.

They didn’t require any coaxing to move, much to my surprise, and they immediately called up some dwarven architects to start designing plans for the grandest palace ever. I would have argued that a hut would do so long as I had them, but seriously, a palace, how cool was that?

The moment I returned to Limbo, clasped in Simon’s arms-I didn’t want to disappoint him by telling him my bond with the place allowed me to move to and fro with ease-I looked upon the changed landscape, my soon-to-be-home, and smiled. For so long I’d fought and wandered, trying to find my place in the world and as it turned out, I’d needed to create it. And it’s beautiful, if I do say so myself, I thought looking around with pride at the lush landscape forged from my blood and promise.

“So what are you going to call it?” Gene asked hugging me from behind. “Limbo seems kind of outdated now.”

Funny he should mention it, for I’d already given the subject some thought. “Well, as the first hybrid misfit and queen or empress or whatever you want to call me of this land, how’s Misfitia, a place where anyone is welcome no matter how different they may be.”

Simon rumbled “I like it,” and Gene, with a flourish of his hands and an impressive smoke display that made me cough, gave me a present.

When the fumes cleared, I laughed as I saw what he’d done for me. He’d created my very own Stonehenge, and etched in a massive rock for all to see:

Welcome to Misfitia, ruled by Beth, High Queen of all Hybrid Misfits.

“You forgot one thing,” I said linking my arm through both of theirs. “Where’s ‘along with her beloved consorts Simon and Gene, for all of eternity’?”

Apparently adjustments to my sign would wait, for with expressions that bespoke their love for me, my dragon and genie proved to me in the soft grass of my new land just how much they liked the idea-and then proved it again.