The last unicorn – Reminiscences of a dying prince
The whole castle was miserable – their beloved king was about to die. Everyone appreciated him for his wisdom, his compassion and his courage. He always kept his imposing appearance despite of his high age; tall and muscular, his former golden hair faded to white, like the snow, which covered the walls of his kingdom. His eyes wide awake; witnesses of his clear mind and intellects.
Supported by cushions he sat triumphantly on his royal bed, surrounded by his children and his wife. With only a cracked he was able to speak:
"My dear ones, I am tired. Please, leave me alone. Should the long sleep unexpectedly fall upon me, so let me go…"
As they have been told, one after the other left the room. Uncertain if they would ever see him alive again.
Lír smiled at them encouragingly, although he knew that his time was about to be up. He didn't want to be remembered as an old an ill man; he rather would take his last journey all by himself.
He closed his eyes and only one picture appeared in his mind. Her white hair, the pale skin and her indescribable grace. Forty years have been passed since he laid his eyes on the love his life and nevertheless he still knew, how soft her hair felt, how light her voice sounded and how piercing her look was.
"Amalthea..."
All this time ago, as she had taken her true immortal shape once again and had left him alone, he
wandered around without any goal. Secretly he hoped to meet her some day and so he entered several countries and kingdoms, always searching for her. However, the years passed and he had to accept that he would never be able to find her. Soon he came to his present kingdom. At first he worked as simple soldier, but only after a few weeks – he never really understood why- the princess fell in love with him and they became husband and wife.
He didn't know, what was worse: To find the love of your life and to lose it or to never have met it. His destiny seemed unfair to him, but that is the way things turn out, when a mortal being falls in love with a unicorn.
The door of his chamber opened cautiously and a figure covered with a coat and a hood entered the room. Lír summoned all of his strength, sat up and called:
"I said, I need to rest."
Slowly, she took of her coat. The moonlight reflected in her hair, as she pulled down the hood and shook her head.
"You returned to me. After all this years?" Lír turned anxiously breathing to Amalthea. She nodded silently and strode through the room with all her grace.
"How is that possible? How did you pass my guards? Who gave this shape to you? You didn't age at all, since I saw you the last time in this mortal form…"
She merely shook her head tenderly and once again the light of earths' satellite was reflected. Amalthea sat down right beside his bed and looked at him deeply with her multicolored eyes. He took her hand and placed it covered by his own on to his chest.
Again she nodded and began to sing quietly:
„Anyway I love you...that´s all I have to tell you...that's all I`ve got to say."
Slowly Lírs breath seemed to calm down. He closed his eyes and even so he realized how she easily leaned over him to whisper in his ear:
"I will remember you… you and our love…"
She felt how his heart had stopped beating. Little by little she rose up and no human soul saw her ever again in this world.