A Lost Heart
A beautiful flower grows. So beautiful indeed; its large delicate petals lightly tinted with pink, gathered together to form the flower of purity and peace.
Yet this beautiful creation is enveloped by a dark monster, a creature which devours and destroys, its venom fatal. The coldblooded creature, whose fierce yellow eyes filled with bloodlust, its giant fangs extended, delivers chaos and devastation.
Mortality. Imbalance.
A twist in the fabric of reality—is this not what humans call "love"?
Yet nature always seeks balance, to clear away these imbalanced twists.
Such love is not meant to be.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a spirit fell in love with a human. Or was it the human who fell in love with the spirit? But then, all is hidden chaos. Their world splits into two, a duality of love that will eventually merge.
Little do they know, that these unrequited feelings are returned.
When will they discover truth?
Perhaps the tales will tell.
She did not know when. Or how. She was suffocating.
Or rather, she was dying. Yes. Dying. She clasped her hand to her heart—or rather, where her heart used to be.
It was gone. Sure enough, it beat strongly within her chest, pumping life essence through her veins, but it was gone, sure and true.
Stolen away.
By him, one by the name of Shuran.
She mentally jerked in realization. Him—his radiant eyes, his soothing voice—the one who haunted her thoughts day and night…she faltered thinking of herself compared to his great accomplishments.
Impossibly advanced academic achievements.
Highly developed musical talents.
Incredible extent of physical power.
Widely influential in all social groups.
Amiable personality and humorous manners.
What was she compared to him? Advanced, yes; talented, yes; but that was to be expected in order to qualify for the gifted academy in which they studied at.
She never really paid attention, content among her group of friends in one corner of the classroom. Fate spun a few times, however, and so at the beginning of second quarter, seats changed, and she found herself sitting near him.
It seemed normal enough at first, at the corner where she sat. Her tablemate was one of Shuran's buddies, two years older and very friendly.
Shuran held a unique easygoing yet successful attitude; she never really felt uncomfortable. However, it seemed that his presence had a strange effect. His deep, soothing mellow tone seemed to work itself towards her heart. Those deep black eyes hidden behind those thin glasses seemed to bore deep into her soul. She was not yet aware of what was happening, but she soon would be.
He, the grandest of thieves, would work his way to her heart, and snatch it away.
Subrina shuddered. She stared at her watch and shut her eyelids drowsily after seeing the glowing numbers "4:10." She opened her eyes again and swept her eyes across her room. It was barely morning. She sighed and turned underneath her covers. She was about to drift back into sleep when she thought of him again. She squeezed her eyelids shut. Memories flooded back to her. She desperately tried to fall asleep again, only to find that the only way to do so was to mentally picture his image.
She was insane. She knew it. She understood it. She did nothing about it.
Does that make her more or less crazy?
She sighed.
Surely, this is what they call lovesickness.
Her life seemed like a fairy tale.
That was one thing she could be honest about.
Maybe.
She needed to wake up from this fairy tale. Then again, that just may be impossible.
So many fluctuations of the mind…
Sitting up, she stretched and dressed. Perhaps she could utilize these extra hours before school.
She glanced at an empty notebook in front of her.
She picked up a pen and started writing.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a princess who loved her kingdom more than anything else in the world.
The kingdom was named Equetria, famed far and wide for its seven springs. It was said that the greatest wish of one's heart would be granted when the waters from all seven springs are drunk from a goblet made from the stars.
No one knew though, what the waters tasted like, for the springs were scattered throughout Equetria and so well-hidden that no one could find them.
As for the goblet, they said that it disappeared long ago never to be found again.
The princess ruled over the kingdom with a just, firm grip, loved and respected by all.
Let me tell you of how she came to rule.
The late king of Equetria never married, being vain and proud. During his reign the people suffered from the pains of a narcissistic tyrant. Their only hope was to find the springs and save the enduring people from his rule.
One day, a passing violet-eyed prince from a far away kingdom rode through the forest of Equetria and heard a sweet song, a heart-breaking lament of the kingdom's sorrows.
Enchanted by the song, the prince followed the sound deep into the heart of the forest, where he saw a beautiful maiden.
Her eyes shone like the moon, her flowing hair was the color of the pine in which she sat under.
The prince was mesmerized by her beauty and fell in love with her at first sight.
"Oh, beautiful maiden, what ails you?"
She sang to him, of the king's tyranny, of the Equetrians' pain.
And then she told him of the seven springs, and the goblet made from stars.
Fearless determination rose in his heart, as he vowed to save Equetria. So struck by love, he promised that once he had his wish, he would use it not for his own gain, but for her happiness.
From his hand, he took an emerald ring, a precious royal heirloom of his land. Carved into the shape of a serpent, ivory was embedded for fangs and gold for eyes.
"Keep this" he told her "it is a token of my sincerity and my willingness to do anything for you."
She smiled, a radiant smile amidst her tears of sorrow. At the sight, the prince could have melted from the warmth in his heart.
The maiden closed her eyes and silently moved her lips. From the earth grew a single lotus flower, its light pink petals overflowing with energy.
"It will guide you, oh dear blessed prince."
With that, she disappeared from under the pine tree.
Vanished.
Was she a fairy, or a daughter of the forest?
Carefully holding the lotus, the prince ignored the pain in his heart and set off in the direction in which the petals pointed. Some say he died, some say he gave up.
No one ever heard from the violet-eyed prince again.
Many moons later, the king of Equetria found a beautiful maiden in the forest when hunting. By an unexplained act of compassion, he took her to his palace, adopted her as his daughter, and declared her as his heir.
Soon after, the king mysteriously died from illness. While the Equetrians secretly rejoiced, the princess was brought onto the throne. From then on, she ruled Equetria and brought its people to prosperity and power.
They say that she is blessed by the fates, for she never ages and stays as lovely as a lotus flower, with flowing dark green hair and shining pale eyes. Others say she is a goddess, a spirit of nature.
Nevertheless, the people loved and respected her, joyful under her firm yet righteous rule.
Some say that there she rules to this day, princess of Equetria.
On her left hand she wears an emerald serpent, with gold for eyes and ivory for fangs.
Unbeknownst to all, when the moon is full, she stands next to her lotus pond and stares at the serpent ring.
Diamond tears fall from her eyes.
"Hello Subrina"
Subrina spun around surprised and saw Shuran smiling at her.
What? Was something wrong? Had she done something horrible? Did she not get an "A" on the recent exam? Did he find out about her love for him?
"Happy birthday!" Another radiant smile.
Oh! It was her birthday. How could she have forgotten her own birthday?
"Thank you Shuran." Her own radiant smile.
How did he know? One of her friends must have told him.
In this special privileged academy, Shuran had the largest web of influence in all social groups. Subrina, though not as involved, also had lots of power and many supporters. Throughout the day, she received many gifts and wishes as well as a birthday card with hundred of signatures and messages.
She felt so…loved.
To be loved was such a warm feeling, so comforting. She felt like bursting from happiness.
Subrina walked into courtyard and sat beneath an ancient pine tree. She traced the rough bark and marveled at all the history the tree must have witnessed. Then she froze.
"Yura! Wait for me!"
The girl called Yura giggled and turned around. "Shuran! You're earlier than usual today. It's amazing how fast you can run from the other side of the school."
These were the two famous lovebirds, Shuran and Yura. Both have extensive background, impressive accomplishments, and wide social webs.
Both were a year older and Subrina and shared all classes.
Heart beating rapidly, Subrina hid behind the pine tree, not wanting to be discovered as they left.
Ah, of course. Subrina did not have any chance with Shuran, did she? The only reason she had any classes with him was because she took extra advanced courses. Otherwise she would never see the older boy in class.
Besides, Shuran loved Yura.
Holding back dry tears, Subrina raced home.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a handsome prince blessed by the fates.
The people of his kingdom would gather and marvel at his valor, might, splendor, and compassion. One day, the prince decided to travel the world. And though his people mourned his decision, he left and promised to return.
For many moons he travelled, journeying through the lands. On the seventh full moon after his departure, he wandered deep into the mountains and stopped to rest at a spring. There he drank the sweet water and slept.
Then he travelled another moon cycle; and strangely enough, on the eighth full moon after his departure, he stopped at another spring concealed in a meadow. There he drank the bitter water and slept.
At the end of fourteen moon cycles after his departure from his kingdom, the prince had travelled throughout the vast land known as Equetria and drank from seven different tasting springs, once every full moon.
Having been gone from his kingdom for over a year, the prince missed his people dearly. However, he ventured onwards and promised himself to see more of the world.
Three months later, the prince saw a stunning white fox with dark green eyes while hunting. With his compassionate heart, he did not wish to kill it, but wanted to satisfy his curiosity of the magnificent creature. He chased it deep into a dark forest, where he lost its trail.
There, he heard sweet singing of a heart-breaking and alluring song. Like a moth drawn to flame, he followed the music blindly until he found the source. He saw a beautiful maiden with deep pine tresses and eyes as bright and pale as the white fox's fur.
He fell in love with her immediately.
She turned her eyes onto the handsome prince, and sang to him of Equetria's sorrow under the rule of their tyrant. She told him of seven magical springs and a goblet of stars which will grant any heart's desire.
The prince vowed to save the kingdom and follow the magical lotus she gave him. In return, he gifted the mysterious maiden his heirloom ring, an emerald-carved serpent.
She accepted it, thanked him, and disappeared into thin air.
Were those diamonds falling from her eyes?
For two months the prince journeyed throughout Equetria to no avail. He could not find any glimpse of neither magical springs nor a goblet made from stars.
On the first day of the third month, when his spirits were low and his energy worn thin, the lotus petals pointed for him to rest under the shade of a giant pine tree. He stopped and prepared to drink from a pouch of fine wine. At that moment an old, hooded woman hobbled up to him and requested a drink of his wine.
The generous and kindhearted prince cordially invited her under the shade and opened up the pouch to pour her a drink.
The old woman brought out an ugly gray rusted cup, which he filled.
"Drink from it first, good prince."
Puzzled yet amiable nonetheless, the prince took the cup and brought it to his lips.
The moment the rusty grey cup touched his lips, it transformed into a shining gold goblet studded with precious stones. The wine inside turned into a sparkling clear elixir.
"You are the one, good prince. The goblet made from stars recognizes the water of the seven springs" the old woman cackled and disappeared, while her voice lingered "use your wish wisely."
Of course! The seven odd-tasting springs that the prince had drunk from every full moon were the seven magical springs. The old woman had just given him the goblet made from stars.
Then fate had deemed that the prince meet the maiden, and save Equetria! With renewed vigor and hope, the prince closed his eyes and drank the sparkling elixir.
"Wish" he heard a voice "wish on your heart's greatest desire."
What was it that he wanted? The prince hesitated. He vowed to save Equetria. Why did he vow? Because he wanted to make that maiden happy. He loved her.
The prince looked down at the magical lotus that had guided him to under the pine tree. The pink petals waved, as if to signal him to hurry and make his wish.
"I wish that Equetria will be happy and prosperous."
"Strange wish" the same voice said "is it truly what your heart calls for? You can obtain the greatest palace, or have priceless treasures; yet you wish for the happiness of a kingdom not your own?"
"I wish that Equetria will be happy and prosperous." Though his voice stayed firm, his thoughts wavered. 'If only I was not a prince, for the sake of that maiden…so we could be forever together'
"Your greatest wish will be granted, good prince."
With a clang, the goblet fell from his hands and turned into dust. The prince slumped against the trunk of the pine tree and fell into deep slumber. Slowly, the enchanted pine tree grew over his body. All that was left was a lotus design cut into the wood at where he slept
Three moon cycles later, a princess with shining pale eyes gained rule over Equetria.
"Yura and Shuran are perfect for each other! Sooooo lucky!" giggled Subrina's girlfriends.
"Of course" Subrina replied calmly while savoring her cup of Darjeeling "let us wish for their blessings. They are indeed a good match."
Excusing herself from their tea party, she slipped into the orchestra room. Every day at that time, Shuran would be there playing his cello.
Silently from outside the open door, she watched and listened.
Oh, how his fingers so gracefully flew…
"Come in."
He must have heard her sigh. Panicking, she scrambled to hide in the piano room across the hall.
Hearing that he made no more comment, she quietly walked back to her original spot.
Hm? What was he playing? Fantasy Overture to Romeo and Juliet? Why would he play such a piece? The symphony was organizing Beethoven, not Tchaikovsky.
She heard him sigh, and pack away his instrument. Finishing so soon today? She hid in the piano room and watched him leave. Curious, she followed.
Tailing him like a shadow, she followed him into the courtyard. Where was Yura today? Why was he here alone?
Subrina watched as he walked up to the old pine tree and traced his fingers over—was that a carving? How come she never noticed?—the design of a lotus flower on the trunk.
Her breathe caught in her throat when she heard him whisper.
"When I stand here with this pine tree, I have a special feeling…as if a part of me is here. This special feeling," Shuran turned to her hiding spot "do you not also feel it, Subrina? Is that not why you come here?"
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a fairy deep inside a forest of a kingdom named Equetria. She was a daughter of the earth, a spirit of nature, formed from pine and moonlight. Her eyes were as bright and pale as the full moon against snow, while her tresses were the color of winter pine under a darkened sky.
As a gift of her birthday, the sky pulled down three stars and made them into a goblet for her to use. The rivers travelled underground and forced away stone to create seven springs for her to drink.
The fairy was content with roaming free and without burden, so she took the precious goblet and offered it to the old salt sea.
One day, when she was drinking from the sweet spring in the mountains, a handsome young prince with ebony hair and violet eyes from a far away kingdom stopped to rest. Hiding in the mist, the fairy immediately fell in love with him.
Knowing that he was mortal and the two were not meant to be together, the fairy fled, hoping to never see the prince again. However, it seemed that fate wanted to prove her wrong.
Every night of the full moon, she would see him again, both of them coincidentally drinking from the same magical spring.
No longer able to control her growing love for him, the fairy morphed into a white fox and lured him into the forest where she was born. She hoped that he would find the goblet, make a grand wish, and travel far, far away as a successful king.
Though she would never forget him and forever suffer from unrequited love, at least he would be happy and live his mortal life without pain.
So the fairy turned into a fox which the prince chased deep into the forest. There, she changed into her true form of a beautiful maiden and sang to him of Equetria's tyrant king. The prince set off with her gift of a magical lotus and finally found the goblet to grant his wish.
What she had not expected was for him to fulfill his promise. He promised her to save Equetria. She only intended for him to find the goblet, and then make a wish of his own; instead, he threw away gifts of wealth and power and wished for prosperity in Equetria.
Such a good man…
The fairy search far and wide, yet she could not find that prince. The king of Equetria saw her, and made her his heir. He died suddenly and she became the princess ruler of Equetria.
She was a ruler loved and respected by her people, whom she acted happy for. Yet every night of the full moon, she would gaze at her lotus pond and the emerald serpent that the prince had given her.
For many years, she silently wept, until finally her body was worn away by her sorrow. Little determination to live did she have left…
Leaving Equetria to the hands of her trusted advisors, she faded into the light of her last full moon…while her heart flew back to an ancient pine tree…
"W-what do you mean, Shuran?"
"This tree, it brings me dreams…have you not have had the same dreams?"
"Those stories…"
Shuran looked deeply into her eyes, with his rapidly lightening eyes.
"Already, the past is coming back to us. Notice yourself."
Subrina held up her hand, startled, and saw fine, slim fingers. She twirled her now dark green hair in wonder.
"Subrina, my princess…how I have waited for you."
"W-what do you mean, Shuran? You love Yura."
He shook his head. "I was mistaken."
"Have you forgotten?" He took her hand gently and held it to the lotus carving on the pine tree "those were not dreams, not fantasies. They were our past."
And all the memories flooded back.
"You are…my prince…no longer mortal…" the pine tree glowed as their hearts flew back within them.
"My love."
Pale moonbeam eyes finally met violet ones.
"This tree, it stood throughout time, to bring us together."
Subrina laughed truly for the first time, the bitterness of unrequited love turned into the sweetness of truth.
Together, hand in hand, the prince and the princess disappeared from the mortal world, into the realm of immortality.
Thus, the wish made long ago was truly granted.
So we could forever be together...
You made it all the way to the end! I hope you liked this story. Review!
AdamiteAshes