THE BEST DECISION
By: Mikee Karina De Vega
The sun shone across the room. I was ready for anything. I had my wand at one hand and pixie powder on the other. Within the swift of my hand, I had the power to give anyone anything they wanted. However, the complexities increased as the wishes became weirder by the second.
Contrary to popular belief, we, fairies, are not just there to grant wishes. We have clans, which have different goals. Our granting of wishes is based on the premise that these wishes shall, in the future, work out for our goals. There are a lot of clans. There's the Vigilante, the fairies dedicated to revenge. The Caesars are dedicated to power and wealth. And I come from the Amores, the ones dedicated to love.
My mom was Prince's Devereaux fairy. As an Amoresfairy, my mom's task was to find the perfect wife for King Nicholas. And, no surprise here, she found and chose Queen Sandra to be the wife of the king. And as any story would suggest they had a happily ever after.
Now, as a direct descendant, I was tasked to find Prince Devereaux a wife. Now he's not the type of prince that maidens in the land would wish for. He was the complete opposite of his father. His top is crumpled all over and is often not tucked in. He doesn't know how to use a sword. He asks servants to bring him in a carriage because he doesn't know how to ride a horse.
His talent does not lie in the violence of swordfights but his power lies in the sweetest melodies of music. The nightingale sings in harmony with him in the banquets while the chirping of the bird are mere ornaments to his melodious voice. Add to his sweet music his ability to bring life to music through movements. I have experienced the heaven of being in his arms for a minute or so in a dance. It feels as if you are floating just above the air.
And now, he was in front of me. His blue eyes shone in the light of the sun. His fair skin was glowing in the sunshine which seeped through the intricate borders of his window. His curly brown hair dangled along the edges of his beautiful face. I can't help but stare.
"Athena, could you quit staring? It's freaky," he said as he tried to break the awkward silence that took over.
I answered him, "I'm not staring. I just can't believe you're still not getting any princess to love you. We've been trying for three months now and you're dad got the queen in just two weeks. We're too slow to be true."
I was intent and quick at changing the subject. I could never allow Devereaux to know what I felt about him. If it were so, he'd try to go away from me. Things will never be the same for us. And of course, I'm just his fairy. A prince is meant for a princess not a fairy. That's my destiny. To see and help the man I love find the perfect girl. No matter how much I want to present myself to him, I can't, because those are the rules. And no one, not specially in my clan, has defied the rules.
We were getting ready for the ball I have set up at eight in the evening. As said in the guidebook for apprentice Amoresfairies, the best method for attracting young ladies is a ball.
Rest assured it was so. Within a day of sending out invitations, over a hundred princesses confirmed. Near, far, princesses were intent on meeting myprince, who was known for having an angelic voice and wonderful rhythmic feet. It was the perfect opportunity for him to find a wife, and for me to break my own heart.
That night, I was fixing the prince's hair. He cried and slapped my hand because I accidentally pulled a strand of his hair. I immediately apologized and he continued practicing the lines he'd say to the perfect girl. We went over it for a few weeks now and he's never perfected it.
"O fair maiden, thine eyes glimmer like the stars and your hair does look like the thread powerful immortals weave on a cloud…" he said.
His voice fades in my ear and I start to imagine him saying these words to me. I will be standing there across the King's Court Hall and he will be at the other side. He'd run to me and hug me as if he has waited for me for a million years. I would wrap my arms around him and hear him me 'he loves me'.
"Athena? Athena?" Devereaux called. He just ruined my sweetest daydream yet. But I can't complain, of course.
"What's the matter with you? You're surprising me! What were we talking about again?" I asked.
"Nothing. You're just supposed to continue fixing my hair for the ball. I was rehearsing my lines, in case I find the one. By the way, was my delivery okay?"
"Yeah it was. However all those won't work if you're not the knight in shining armor."
"WHAT? What will I do now?' The thought of the 'shining armor' often scared Devereaux knowing his inabilities. Of course, his anxieties increased. "I don't even know how to ride a horse. I don't know how to wield a sword. I'm scared of the dark. I'll fail…"
He started babbling so I stopped him. "Wait. Breathe in, breathe out."
He followed my instructions and sat down once again. I continued fixing his hair, until I was sure each strand was in place. When I was done, I asked him to stand up and I started fixing his outfit.
He was dashing, alright. And he looked like the greatest prince in the land. If you didn't know that he isn't the warrior-type, you would have thought that he was really brave. He removed my hand from his hip. He started to fix it himself so I felt his need to be alone. I left the room.
"SHE'S REALLY PRETTY," Devereaux declared. I was sitting beside him in our favorite spot in the garden.
"Zerafine is really beautiful. With her wit, she is second to none. She's very knowledgeable too. Father likes him for me," he continued.
I sat there for an hour or so, listening to his praises for the beautiful princess of Hevshire. I was no match to her. I had no choice but listen to him. For that time, the only sounds coming from me were oh's, ah's and the sound of my heart shattering into a million pieces. My reaction to his words was blank. So he asked if I was okay.
Me?Okay?Areyouafool?OfcourseIamnot.DoyouknowthatI'velovedyoueversince?Hownumbcanyoube!Ididloveyourtalentsforalongwhilenowandyouriniquitiesdidn'tmatteratall!Ididn'tcareaboutyourinabilitytorideahorse,yourinabilitytowieldasword,yourfearofthedark.Ijustlovedyourhumor,yourface,everythingyouare.I'minlovewithyou.SoofcourseI'mhurt, I thought to myself. However, I said, "Yeah. I'm okay."
He continued speaking nonsense. He spoke as if he was daydreaming about the princess. I could feel the heat slowly concentrating into my eyes. My blood ran through my veins as if it were in a race. The pressure within could not be held anymore and the tears started to identify themselves. Before he could see me cry, I bid him farewell with the excuse that I had a lot of things to take care of.
In truth, I didn't. I simply ran to our home beside the castle. Nobody was home and so, full of tears, I ran to my room. I helped myself to bed. I cried for probably three hours. I was so saddened. And the worst part was that I had no one to blame but myself. I made Devereaux turn into a Prince Charming which was why Zerafine liked him.
As I came to that thought of Zerafine liking my love, I thought, doesshereallyliketheprince?I'venevermether.Whoissheanyway?Willhejusthurttheprince?
I then decided to investigate on this matter. I can't just give up my love to someone I do not even know. I can't help the prince offer her love to a maiden whose intentions I know not of.
I took my magic wand and teleported myself to the royal palace in Hevshire. I walked in its hallways, dressed in the visage of a servant girl. The disguise was a genius, for after about five minutes, someone came up to me and said, "Bring this cup of tea to her highness, the princess."
Thisisperfect,I thought to myself. So I entered the princess' room. She was sitting on her dresser, staring at the necklace I made. Prince Devereaux gave it to her. She saw me enter the room so I bowed to her.
I put the tray of tea on her dresser. I poured some into a cup. She took it. I inferred she was friendly to house-helpers because she asked me to take a seat on one of the couches. She spoke of the prince, how he was generous and charming and many more. However, she suddenly guffawed.
"I can't believe what a fool he was! He's giving me everything. But what can I do? I've long been engaged. I'm just waiting for my fiancée to get back from war! Ha. He's a fool!" she said. She continued going on about how she attempted to explain but there was no holding the prince back. She laughed at the Prince's honest feelings.
I couldn't control myself so I answered her back, "Why are you fooling the prince? You should've told him you were engaged. He is giving you everything a maiden would want but you're just fooling him. How could you? You are so lucky that Devereaux chose you! But you don't even deserve even a hundredth of his attention. If I were you, I would choose Devereaux because there could be no one else that's better than him."
The princess' eyes were turning red in anger. "If you're so in love with that fool, then why don't you marry him yourself!" she shouted at me before ordering me to pay respect to her.
"You are not worth my respect and, yes, I shall marry the Prince myself!" I walked out. I entered my portal at the end of the hall. In a blink of an eye, I was teleported back to the palace.
I saw his highness in the garden, sitting down on the swing we always played in since we were kids. He was sitting quietly there. I sat next to him. He was crying! I wiped his tear with my hand and he grabbed it. He held it next to his heart.
"See! It's not beating anymore. You may say it is beating but it really is not," he said.
"What are you saying Devereaux? It's beating! Let go of my hand!" I said as I struggled to let go.
With all my struggles, he had no choice but to embrace me. An electric spark went up my spine. I felt hot and cold. I thought I was sweating however I wasn't. My heart started to pound wildly.
He started to speak again, "I saw you enter a portal. I followed you. You entered Zerafine's room. I was left outside. I heard all of your conversation."
"It's alright Devereaux," I said, still feeling weird. "You'll find someone out there who will love you wholeheartedly."
He finally let go of me. I breathed deeply. The pounding stopped but my heart completely froze when he let out the words, "Can we just be together for now?"
We went on a trip to the annex of the kingdom. It was an island called Kipolaur. I was officially his. I accepted the fact that he didn't love me. I gave him myself because he was my friend. I love him, yes, but my main reason for giving him my yes is because he needed me at this point.
We traveled for four hours on the way to Kipolaur. Once the ship went ashore, Devereaux jumped down and carried me as well. He took me to the beach. We sat down and talked for hours and hours.
I had fun in his presence. And I fell more and more in love with him. He was really charming that I was bound by him.
He sent his servant to buy beer and we drank together. He got drunk faster than I thought. I think I was drunk too. But what caught my attention was when he said he loved me. I just laughed it off. But then, he got really close to me and we kissed. After that we both fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up with lots of food on my chamber table. I couldn't stand up properly because of my hangover; however, I knew I had to wake up because of the prince. So I stood up in my nightgown. I then started singing my favorite song until I sat on the chair and started eating.
"You're so beautiful when you're sleeping," a voice from the window said.
I gasped and turned around. I was surprised when I saw Devereaux sitting on the window ledge, grinning at me.
"H-ho-how lo-long ha-ave you been st-stayi-staying there?" I stammered.
He answered, "Long enough to see your beautiful face, your stunning voice and your marvelous body figure."
I felt insecure and I started to run away to another room. But, Devereaux was swift that he was able to grab my hand. I was about to fall but he caught me. For a minute or two, I stared at his face. He was staring at me. And in a snap, we kissed again.
I can't believe that I've kissed him twice in just ten hours. And I knew it wasn't right so I pushed him away.
"I know you love me," he said.
I started being defensive. "Tss. What are you saying? Me? In love with you? Of course not," I finally answered.
"Stop denying. I read your diary," he said while pulling out my little purple notebook.
"Why do you have that?" I grabbed my diary from him.
I was frozen. I couldn't move. I felt numb. It felt as if the blood rushing through my veins was freezing cold but my veins felt hot. I can't even blink my eye. I just stared at Devereaux's face.
Devereaux started to make his way towards me. He said, "Don't worry. You have hope in me. I won't hurt you. I'll make you happy as long as I can."
With what he said, I was so happy. But I asked him, "Why? Do you think you'll be able to do that? Make me happy? You don't even love me! You love…"
"NO! I love you," he shouted.
I was frozen again but I was not alone. He too was standing there as if he was a mannequin. He, himself, was shocked at what he revealed to me in that brief moment.
To break the silence, I guffawed. From shocked, his face went to worried.
"Wow! You're a good joker!" I laughed. "Just because I'm in love with you doesn't mean that I will stay here and wait for you. I was not made to be your wife. I was made to find your wife. I'll not expect because I don't want to be hurt."
"But, I don't care if you're not made to be my wife. Let's change our destiny. And what if you're a different fairy? What if you're a fairy princess? What if you were made to be mine? But wait. It's not what if. You were made to be mine. My heart beats for you."
He embraced me. I felt his hot tears drop on my sleeve. I had no choice but to embrace him and that's what I did.
"I've loved you ever since, Athena," he continued while pulling away from my arms. "The only reason why I was smitten with Zerafine was because I was trying to forget about you. All my praises to her were to set my mood. But, no matter what I did, I've loved you. I did like Zerafine but I loved you. You don't know how many buckets of tears I've cried for you, Athena. I love you! Do you love me?"
"Of course I do," I lovingly answered.
For one year, we managed to keep our relationship a secret. We hugged and kissed secretly. When people didn't notice we would go to the park and stroll while our hands were glued together. Our eyes gazed at each other lovingly. When we were escaping from Devereaux's bodyguard, we'd laugh a lot.
One day, we were taking our usual walk in the park when we saw a familiar figure before us. It walked towards us. It was a girl for her wonderful gold locks were bouncing off her shoulders.
I gasped when I saw that it was Zerafine. She was making her way to my prince. She embraced him just as how I would. She cried at his shoulder but Devereaux was just standing there.
"I'm sorry, Devereaux, for what I did to you before. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I love you, Devereaux. My ex-boyfriend did six months ago and suddenly, I realize that I love you," she said.
Tears started to roll down my face. But then, I wiped them off. Devereaux pushed away Zerafine. He rushed to my side and said, "Zerafine, I don't love you. I love Athena. Go away."
"Insolent fool!" a voice said from behind. It was the King.
Everybody bowed down to His Majesty. Devereaux's hand tightened to my waist. I was frozen. Zerafine was grinning but the King was furious.
"How dare you put down a princess for what? A fairy? You were never meant to be with a fairy! You were meant for a smart and sassy princess. What are you doing? Let's go home," he screamed.
I tried to push Devereaux away from me to avoid any mess; however, he answered his father back. "Father, I don't care what was meant for me. You chose that destiny. I never chose that. I want to be with Athena. You can never do anything with it!"
I swear I saw the veins in the King's eyes. He was really mad at me. Zerafine looked as if she was sad, but I can tell she was just acting. The queen came in a little while and commanded Devereaux to stop acting like that. She comforted the weeping Zerafine.
"I've had enough of this. I will take you to your grandfather. Guards, take him," the King said.
Devereaux tried hard not to let go of my hand but I let go of it in a snap. I can't take in the fact that he had to suffer all this for me. I'd rather weep for the rest of my life thinking that I had to let him go rather than being with him and seeing him in this kind of torture.
Devereaux was forced to leave, with tears in his eyes. The King's entourage followed the guards who were carrying my Devereaux. The queen went after the King. Zerafine left last, leaving me an irritated look.
My knees felt week. In a blink of an eye, my dress spread all around me and I was weeping on the damp ground.
PART 2: Devereaux's Perspective
I checked myself on the mirror. I'm surely not groomed. I'm back to original. I look like I was never a Prince Charming. I looked like how I looked before Athena came.
Athena. Athena. She's all I got in my mind right now. I love her more than I've loved anyone before. I've never experienced this before. I know it was wrong for me to love her because I was never meant for her, but I'm willing to go through fire and water just to be with her. I almost gave her up once for another girl because I thought she didn't love me. And now that I had the chance to be with her, I can never let her go. And so I have to find a way.
"Let me out! Let me out!" I shouted once more, just like how I used to for the past week. I've never eaten a single meal. The only intake I had was of water. My grandparents were really worried.
Someone knocked on the door. "Devereaux, could you let me in?" said a voice.
It was my grandfather! So I opened the door for him. He sat down on my small table-and-chair furniture. He asked me to tell him everything. So I did. I had tears in my eyes as I had to reminisce the moments I had with my Athena. And what made me cry the most was the fact that Athena was the first to let go of me when the King tried to take me away.
I cried like a young boy who was scolded by his parents. I felt all emotions mankind could ever think off. It was all in one snap which made the pain harder to carry. My grandpa stood up and consoled me.
My eyes were leaking and I couldn't help it. So I continued doing what I did; however, grandpa ordered me to stop.
"Devereaux, the best things in life are often what was not meant for us. After every joy, pain shall come. Yet once you have surpassed the pain, greater joy shall be there. And so, Devereaux don't give up. You can change your destiny. Nobody should plan it but you. With all this said, here is the key. Go and be with the one you love. Fight for her. And remember, you can never win a game with the fear of losing it," he said.
"Grandfather?" was all I can say.
"Don't be like me Devereaux. I also fell in love with my fairy. But I let her go because I was ordered. I loved your grandmother, yes, but it was a friendly one. All these years I regret the time when I decided to follow the destiny appointed to me. So Devereaux, make a choice for yourself. And make sure to choose the one that you will least regret," he explained.
I was overwhelmed with what he said. So I embraced him like I used to, bowed and went away.
I met with my father who was really mad at me for busting in to his court. I was ordered to wait for him in his chamber. The whole time I was waiting for him I was only thinking of Athena's face and how we'd look like together. Then my father entered.
"What have you done, Devereaux? What? You disgraced me and the royal family!" he exclaimed.
"Father, I didn't know what I had to do until Grandfather helped me make a choice. I love Athena no matter what. I'm marrying her be it rain or shine. I'll be with her until the end of time, and there's nothing you can do about it. I know you planned my whole life. I know loving her is a mistake but she is a mistake I'm willing to make. So Father, make a choice, will I stay or will you send me away?" I blurted out.
My father was speechless. And after a quarter hour or so, my mom rushed in with Athena. My Athena. The girl I loved more than my own life. I rushed to her and hugged her as if we hadn't seen each other for a million years. She embraced me too. After, we stood side by side, our hands crossing each other's fingers.
"Devereaux's fairy came to me this morning asking me where Devereaux was. She said she was ready to die rather than be away from him. What shall we do, your Majesty?" my mother said, panicking.
"We should let them be together," my father said.
Everyone in his chamber was shocked with what he said. To break the silence, I asked, "Father, what did you say?"
"I'm letting you go with Athena, but you have to stay here. There is no successor. Tomorrow we shall crown Athena as princess of the kingdom. On the next month you shall marry," he proclaimed.
And so everything happened according to plan. Because of our love for each other, we surpassed the greatest trial that happened to us. And that was seven years ago. Now, I'm the king of the kingdom and Athena is my queen. We have a son, now five years of age, and a daughter, now three. They're half fairies and they're adorably cute. They got their mother's eyes which make me love them more. And now I know I've made the best decision of my life.