Work Text:
She was in and out, between dreams and reality. She could feel her life thinning out, her body slowly drifting away. She was here, and she wasn’t. It was such a strange feeling — like she was floating peacefully out of her body, like the weeping of the crowd around her was lulling her to sleep. Everything around her was blurry, lost in a mist of faces and movements. There was a face — a grey-haired woman. Hilda. Hilda was here, by her side, holding her hand, asking her to hold on, just for a while longer. Her voice kept her tethered.
One last fight, Zelds. One last fight.
She held on, of course, she did. Her name was Zelda Spellman, and she refused to die until the battle was won. There was no pain, nor any kind of discomfort. This was new. Every time she had been at the gates of death, it had been quite a terrible experience. If Zelda could have smiled, she would have.
I’m ready, she thought.
“Not quite yet, my love.” Whispered a familiar voice.
Zelda looked by her side, and her heart skipped a beat. There she was. The Queen of Hell, coming to collect her soul. The Queen of Hell, Lilith, in all her glory. Her crown on her head, she was the only one who wasn’t dressed in white but in bright red. Oh, she looked deviously magnificent. She came closer, brushed her cheek with the tip of her finger. Zelda found comfort in that small gesture and closed her eyes. She had come to see her die; she had come to accompany her through her last moments.
Thank you, Zelda thought. She was too weak to talk and keep her eyes on her, but she tried her hardest.
Lilith nodded and took a step back. Zelda couldn’t understand why she was pulling away from her until she saw her niece by her side. Sabrina had arrived at last.
Sabrina, whose face was riddled with sadness, whose eyes were filled with tears. Sabrina, who held her hand so tightly it almost hurt. Zelda looked at her for one last time. She wished she could speak; she wished she could have told her how proud she was, how much she loved her. But she looked at her, and maybe Sabrina knew.
“I could have never asked for a better mother.”
Everything she had ever wanted to hear. Everything she had hoped to be true. Sabrina said it. And Zelda knew that her life was now complete. There was nothing more she wanted out of her existence. She had completed everything she had ever wanted.
Zelda knew then.
It was time. Time to leave this world and go to the next.
So Zelda let go. She stopped fighting and let the darkness overtake her.
Her life flashed in front of her eyes as she did. Sabrina as a baby, Sabrina’s first steps and words, her first heartbreak. Sabrina going to school, parents meeting, killing Hilda, protecting Ambrose. And then Lilith. Mary Wardwell, and Lilith again. Little Adam growing into a strong and kind man. Her family, by her side. Her travels between Hell and Earth. Lilith’s love, Lilith’s touch.
And then, the flashes stopped. A hand was grasping hers tightly. Zelda opened her eyes once more. Lilith smiled at her, tears swelling in her eyes. She helped her up, her hand never leaving hers.
Zelda looked around, confused, and she heard people cry. Her body was still on the bed, and she was standing over it. Sabrina and Hilda were holding her form tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. They couldn’t see her, just the way none of them had been able to notice Lilith. Zelda looked at them, tears in her eyes. She had seen this before. She had known how it would go. And still, her heart was broken. But it was life, wasn’t it? You live, you die. There was nothing she could do about that.
Sadly, Zelda Spellman turned to Lilith. The First Woman was observing her with such tenderness.
“Thank you for waiting.” The High Priestess whispered.
Thank you for letting me say goodbye.
“My sweet Zelda,” Lilith said, touching her cheek. “I’ve been waiting for you all my life. Another minute wouldn’t have changed it.”
Zelda smiled and slowly pulled the Queen of Hell for a long kiss. It felt different now that she was dead. Lilith’s lips tasted of hope and promises, of eternity. And when they pulled away, they remained in each other’s arms, like they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.
The first second of eternity had begun.
“Are you ready?” Lilith asked.
Zelda nodded and took a few steps away from the bed. Then, she turned around once more to get one last look at her family. Ambrose was comforting Sabrina, his pretty face contorted with pain. Hilda — Oh, poor Hilda. She was trying to hold herself back as if now that she was gone, she had to fill her shoes. She was miserably failing. Hilda had always been more emotional. Zelda knew that their paths would cross again, sooner than later. In the meantime, she would miss her family dearly.
“Do you still they’ll be okay?” Zelda asked.
It was hard to leave them behind. All her life had been devoted to them. To protect them.
It was hard to witness her family’s despair and not being able to do anything about it.
She usually solved the problems.
There was nothing she could do to wash away their sorrow. She was the reason they were crying in the first place. She was dead, she was gone — and she had to accept it.
“I promise,” Lilith whispered.
Zelda nodded. In the centuries she had spent with Lilith, between Hell and Earth, she had learnt that the first woman was not a liar. She wouldn’t have said that if she hadn’t meant it. So Zelda pulled herself together, pushing away the sadness and turning her back on her previous life.
In front of her was a world of new opportunities, of endless happiness.
“Come on; Eternity awaits,” Lilith said, inviting her into her kingdom.
Hell was as she had left it.
And yet, it felt inherently different.
It was as if Death had changed the prism with which she saw the world and allowed her to see the beauty of it all. It felt warm and welcoming — it felt like home.
She walked next to the Queen, observing her surroundings silently and appreciating the view. It was like she had been colourblind, like the world had savour again. Lilith seemed amused by her awe, looking at her with a grin on her lips. She was proudly walking by her side, guiding them through the many regions of Hell to the City of Pandemonium, where she was awaited. The more Zelda walked, the stronger she felt and somehow, even though it seemed impossible — alive. It started at the pit of her stomach, a feeling of renewed youth — and spread to her aged limbs. It was a weight lifted off her shoulder, like a bowl of fresh air after spending years under the ground.
They stopped by a river, and in the water, she saw herself — but not as the old lady she had become, wrinkled and white-haired. Zelda touched her hair, back to its glory, her face smooth and youthful. She turned towards Lilith, who looked at her with a bright smile, puzzled and amazed.
“You are beautiful,” Lilith said, placing herself behind her. She ran a hand through her locks and pressed a kiss on her shoulder. “You’ve always been”
Zelda smiled, letting the Queen’s arms slither around her waist, pulling her close.
“Even when I was an old lady?” Zelda playfully said.
Lilith’s face grew infernally serious.
“Especially then.” She answered.
And Zelda knew it was true. It had always baffled her how Lilith kept on loving her even though she was no longer the attractive woman she had fallen in love with, how she kept on worshipping her ageing body every chance she had. For each wrinkle, Zelda cried, and Lilith kissed it better. For every white hair, she spent hours making her feel better. It had been hard — to see herself grow old while the brunette stayed the same. Regal, dangerously beautiful and charming. All those years, she had felt like a fraud. But Lilith had made it more accessible. You are always beautiful to me. She always said. She had stuck by her side for years, proving herself. Zelda turned inside Lilith’s arms, now facing her.
“I love you,” Zelda said.
It came out naturally, yet she said it with her heart and soul. It was the first time, after centuries, together. There had been other moments when she meant to say it, but it was never the right time. But now? There was no better way to walk into eternity. Lilith froze, her mouth slightly parted, eyes widening. Zelda could tell that she had not expected it, and the surprise on her face was simply delightful.
“I love you,” Zelda repeated, laughing.
She wasn’t sure why it was funny — perhaps because of how freeing saying it out loud felt because of how incongruous the situation was. So she laughed and kept saying it. And every time she did, the more authentic it felt. Her heart — although not beating anymore, was floating in her chest. In her euphoria, her hands found Lilith’s cheeks and pulled her close. Zelda, then, claimed the Queen’s lips, softly, tenderly, as she continued to whisper between kisses those three words that she had meant to say before. There was a shift in Lilith’s behaviour, and Zelda realised that her cheeks were wet. Her lips conveyed desperation and passion, everything that the confession had made her feel. Her hand was on her hip, ushering her closer and trying to melt their bodies together.
“I love you too,” Lilith whispered against her lips.
Zelda Spellman was standing in all her naked glory in front of her. She was shivering, but not from the cold. Lilith could tell that she was slightly nervous. It was perfectly normal. And Lilith smiled at her, trying to reassure her. She would stand by her side, and she would remain that way forever, from now on. Zelda smiled back, trying to look confident and quite failing to do so. It was quite endearing, really.
Slowly, Lilith guided her to the warm bathtub she had filled for the occasion with lavender and roses. Zelda sunk without a word, and ever so slowly, Lilith began to wash her. She was delicate with her touch, and for once, Zelda let her take care of her. Lilith began to wash her hair, scraping her scalp. Zelda sighed — oh god, how beautiful she was.
The Queen of Hell let her gaze travel the woman’s body appreciatingly, taking in all her forms, her curves. To have the love of her life, standing bare in front of her, ready to be taken, felt almost too good to be true. She wanted to kiss her creamy skin, to worship that body, to tell her how much she loved her with her mouth, her fingers.
It would have to wait.
There were things more important to do first.
The ritual had to be observed.
There was no place for desire, for needs.
As Queen of Hell, her duty was to prepare Zelda for the ceremony. She had done it before, with Sabrina — but this felt different. This was Zelda Spellman, ready to ascend to her rightful place. These were the first moments of their eternity.
She then covered her skin with ointment, hands sometimes lingering too long on the curves of her breasts, on the delicate arch of her hips. She bent down in front of her, her hands delicately caressing her legs. Zelda was quivering with want — it was evil, what she was doing—teasing her with no intention to release her yet. But she liked the idea of her beloved witch having to wait. When this would be all over, they could remedy that slight problem. Lilith couldn’t wait.
She fixed her glorious hair in an elegant up-do. It felt — intimate. She was working through her locks, detangling them, arranging them as she liked. Zelda’s hair was soft and easy to comb. The newly deceased witch intently watched herself in the mirror, not saying a word but not missing one second either. Once done, Lilith started to do her make-up. She hadn’t liked what Lucifer had ordered for Sabrina’s crowning. It was too much, too bright. She decided to go for something a little less — medieval. Something that would fit a modern queen. Soon, Zelda’s lips were crimson, her eyes highlighted by khôl, her cheeks pink.
She looked deadly.
She looked gorgeous.
She was hers.
She helped her get in the dress she had specially picked for the occasion.
It wasn’t a gown — Zelda wouldn’t have liked that.
No, it was an elegant cocktail dress in a sombre shade of purple. The dress was parted from her leg up, revealing extensive expense of skin. The cleavage teased the hem of her breasts without showing too much of it.
It was revealing.
It was beautiful.
Zelda Spellman looked like temptation incarnated.
She looked like a Queen.
"What do you think?" Lilith whispered in her ear as they both contemplated her finished form in the massive mirror of her bedroom.
"I feel —"
And then, Zelda turned around and kissed her.
She walked in front of the entire court of Hell, all gathered in the throne room for the occasion. Zelda Spellman had never seen Pandemonium this crowded before. People from all over the kingdom had come, dressed up, solemnly respecting a dutiful silence. As she made her way to the balcony, the court bowed down in front of her, acknowledging her in a way that made her feel invincible. Zelda remained proud and continued on her path, chin high, shoulders back, bracing herself for what was to come. Towering them all, standing next to his throne, Lilith and Adam stood, waiting. The boy’s face shone brighter as he noticed her, making her way through the crowd. Zelda fought against the urge to smile at him. This boy — This lovely boy who had been part of her life as much as his mother had. She had helped raise him, had soothed his tears, had held him until he had fallen asleep. He was no longer a child but a fully grown man. She had forgotten how celestial he looked — brown-haired, blue-eyed, tall and lean. He looked much more like Lilith now that he was a man. He looked like a King, regal and poised. Lilith had raised him well.
She climbed the stairs leading to the thrones, under the audience's clapping. She took her rightful place between the two active monarchs of the realm and waited. Lilith got closer to the balcony’s edge.
“Demons and lost souls, people from Hell, please, gather around, and pay your respects for today; we welcome Zelda Spellman, your new Queen of Hell.” Zelda shivered at the mention of her new title as the first woman’s voice rang in the silence of the room. All the gathered creatures were looking at them respectfully, with adoration. “You will address her as your majesty and respect her every wish,” Lilith claimed.
Once more, the crowd bowed down in obedience, swearing their faithful allegiance to the throne. Zelda watched them in complete awe. This was unlike anything she had ever experienced. This — was power. And unlike what she had believed once, power and love were not completely detached from one another.
And then, Lilith turned to her, producing a magnificent dark crown made of bones. Zelda got to her knees, bowing her head in acceptance.
“Zelda Spellman, I now crown you — Queen of Hell. May you look upon the underworld with care and duty.”
There was a thunder of applause and cheers. The heavy crown was placed on the top of her head, and Zelda felt a surge of power coursing through her veins. This was it. This was where she was meant to be. This was her destiny. She smiled and raised her head, meeting Lilith’s proud gaze. The Demoness helped her up and guided her to the throne. They sat side by side, with Adam on Lilith’s left. As they did, the creatures began to chant.
“Long live Queen Lilith. Long live King Adam. Long live Queen Zelda.”