Summer Nights

Rain fell in sheets. The warm sunshine of the afternoon blessed the countryside with its golden light, but once night fell, Nature began dumping her annual rains. The land had recently awakened after a long and harsh winter. The only good thing that came out of such a time was the resurrection of the young prince, Cornelius and, consequently, the long-awaited reunion with his fiancé. Thumbelina was no bigger than one's thumb, and was quite convinced there was no one else like her in the entire world. Oh what a surprise it was to meet one such as that, only to find out he was none other than the Prince of the Fairy Court, and that he was as much in love with her as she was with him. Their courtship was postponed, however, when a toad, eager to satisfy her son's wishes, kidnapped Thumbelina right under Cornelius's nose. As he searched earnestly for his lost love, Thumbelina made a perilous journey of her own, in hopes of returning home and being re-united with her soul mate once more.

From Cornelius being frozen in a block of ice, to Thumbelina, believing him to be dead, being forced to marry someone she hardly cared for, they faced many hardships. But as we all know, if you follow your heart, nothing is impossible.

Now, with winter behind them, Thumbelina and Cornelius are now married, and that is where our story begins…

As he entered the brilliantly lit hallway, Prince Cornelius sighed contently. He'd been out in the bright sunshine all day, relishing in the return of its warm and welcoming rays. Eager to escape the confines of the palace walls as well as the curious (and often critical) eyes of the Court, he left at dawn, leaving his beautiful wife to sleep in peace. Ever since their wedding, she had been bombarded by the Queen and her ladies, and therefore deserved a peaceful morning to herself. After staring at her angelic form for a precious moment, he left swiftly, earnestly making his way to the palace entrance, where an energetic bumblebee awaited him.

It was flying on his beloved steed, Buzzby that he could find solitude. Besides being with Thumbelina, who always made him feel at ease, there was no other place he treasured most. The sun seemed to strengthen him, enveloping him in its warm embrace. His tunic and hair caught the light, throwing the crimson hue into stunning brilliance. Also enjoying the long awaited sunlight, members of the Court emerged from their homes, either casting admiring glances or scowling in disapproval at their young prince. Cornelius hardly cared. He would be turning seventeen soon, and had far too many things to think about besides the Court's talk. Not the least of which was his new bride. She would be awake by now, and probably being bustled around by her ladies-in-waiting. Suppressing a grin, he imagined her trying to wave away the entourage, the same fire he had seen on the night they met residing in her eyes. Content to drift on these thoughts, he and Buzzby proceeded to float aimlessly in the pale-blue sky throughout the afternoon.

The glorious day was short-lived, however, as dark rain clouds gathered in the far west and quickly crept over the hills. While the sudden appearance of the storm sent some of his comrades diving for cover, Cornelius and Buzzby stayed to test Nature's fury as long as possible. For them, they had faced far worse than a simple rain shower…they had braved the bitter frosts of winter searching for their beloved Thumbelina. If they could get through that alive, anything was possible.

Even with that on their record, there was only so much the young prince and his steed could take. Only a few short minutes after the first drop plummeted to the ground, Cornelius was forced to retreat into the shelter of the palace once more. Grateful to be out of the rain, Buzzby shook himself vigorously, sending drops to and fro, much to the annoyance of the guards by the entrance. Patting his friend on the head, he fluttered down the hall, raking a hand through his hair as he did so. Truth be told, he was just as glad to be out of the pounding rain and once again in the warmth of the bright corridor. His thoughts wandering, he barely noticed a sandy-haired boy flying the opposite direction until they collided.

"Umph!"

Startled, the prince bounced back, thumping against the wall. As for the boy, he flushed crimson and bowed hastily.

"Oh, forgive me, your Highness!"

Having recovered, Cornelius was quick to reassure the boy. "It's all right," he said gently. "No harm, no foul. Where were you going in such a hurry?"

The boy smiled. "Just running an errand for you mother. With tending to the Princess and all-"

The mention of his new wife caught the prince's attention. "What?" he asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I thought you knew. She is feeling a little unwell. She was outside looking for you when the storm came up. From what I heard, she was caught off-guard."

The happiness on Cornelius's face quickly faded, a shadow of concern passing over his emerald eyes.

"Where is she?" he asked earnestly.

The sudden attentiveness of the prince made the boy even uneasier. " Um…I-I believe she's still in her bedchamber."

Cornelius needed to hear no more. He sped around the corner, quickly thanking the boy for his information. His heart hammered against his ribs, anxiety and concern coursing through his veins. If he had waited for her to join him that morning instead of going off without a word, the situation would be different. Just like many times before, he would be there to protect her, being sure to keep anything from happening to her. If they had been together, she'd still be healthy. Shaking these dark thoughts away, he floated to the ground just outside their bedchamber, just as his mother, Tabitha was closing the door.

"Cornelius where on earth have you been!" she hissed, quickly drawing him aside. She set down the basin she carried in her hand, the glass making an unceremonious clank as it hit the hard floor.

"Your wife has been looking for you all over. She'll be in bed for a good two days thanks to your bright ideas. Leaving her to worry about you! What were you thinking?!"

Though he was used to his mother's worrisome rants, this burst of outrage surprised him. Rather than be concerned for his own safety, she seemed more worried about the angel that resided beyond the golden doors. Gulping, he tried an apology. "I'm-I'm terribly sorry, mother. It was such a beautiful day and I didn't want to miss a second of it-"

"Well don't go apologizing to me," she sighed, gliding past him. "I wasn't the one standing in the rain waiting for you." And with that, she shook her head and floated out of sight.

Cornelius sighed heavily, running another hand through his crimson hair. She, of course, was right. In his flight to escape his prison, he had neglected his wife's feelings and was therefore responsible for her becoming ill. With his wings fluttering in anxiety, he pushed open the door.

The room was slightly dimmer than the bright corridor outside. On the far side of the room, the rain could be heard from beyond the flowing curtain made of spider's silk. To the right of the small balcony was a small, but elegant vanity; the mirror was actually a shiny gold coin, giving the reflection a coppery hue. Upon the wall was Cornelius's sword, which he had forgotten in his haste to get out of the palace. Finally, to the left of the open balcony, was the figure he sought. Atop a bed of wildflowers, her golden wings slacked in sleep, was Thumbelina. Her back was to him, her golden tresses flowing behind her. She wore nothing but a white spaghetti-strap dress, the back of it dipping to make space for her wings. Her breathing was steady, but now and again he could hear tiny murmurs of discomfort emerging from her lips. He ached to comfort her, but remained where he was, entranced by the vision before him. After a moment, he swallowed his pride and floated to the other side of the bed, only to be rendered breathless. Though flushed, she was every bit as beautiful as she was any other day. Below three traces of gold hair, her high forehead, cheekbones, and full, pink lips were nothing compared to eyes of cornflower blue that hid behind those pale lavender lids. When they met, they were alight with such wonder and excitement he could hardly believe it. He had seen that landscape a million times, but for a girl who had known nothing beyond the comfort of her mother's farm, that was a true experience. Through her eyes, everything was fresh and new again; everything had something special about it. From that night on, he vowed never to take his homeland for granted again.

Sighing yet again, he bent forward and kissed her forehead, noting the heat that radiated from it with a pang of guilt. Moments after he did so, she stirred and open the eyes he was reminiscing about mere seconds before.

"Mmmm…. Cornelius…. Cornelius!" Her blue eyes widened as she struggled to sit up. Quick to calm her, he knelt and forced her back down.

"Shh, dearest," he soothed. "Yes, it's me. I'm sorry for leaving you so suddenly this morning. I…I didn't mean to make you worry. I never meant for this to happen. Please…please forgive me."

Despite her predicament, she smiled at him. The guilt he felt could clearly be seen in his emerald eyes, and she was touched to see it. Here was even more evidence that he loved her deeply and would do anything for her without a second thought.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, lowering his head.

Puzzled by his deep remorse, she tried to comfort him. "Cornelius," she whispered. "I'm not angry with you. I don't blame you for leaving so early. Please don't be so hard on yourself."

Hearing those words of courage, Cornelius finally looked into his wife's eyes. Instead of the critical gaze he often saw from his mother, her pale-blue orbs showed nothing by love and forgiveness. He smiled in relief.

"I love you, Thumbelina," he whispered reverently. "If there is anything I can do, anything at all, you just say the word."

Thumbelina smiled tenderly at her husband, thinking back to the night they met, where he had made the exact same promise.

"Sing to me, my love," she said softly, reaching for his hand. "Sing like you did those many nights ago."

The request couldn't have been better. A spark lit in his green eyes. "I'd be honored," he replied, his thoughts forming into the lyrics that had stolen their souls on that warm summer night. Hearing the music float from his heart, he began to sing.

Let me be your wings

Let me be your only love

Let me take you far beyond the stars

Let me be your wings

Let me lift you high above

Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours

He grazed a finger across her cheek, which glistened against the glow of the room. As his eyes wandered around he noticed a basin filled with rosewater sitting on the bedside table. Within it, pink rose petals floating idly above the water. Seeing the opportunity, he lifted a petal from the basin and began caressing her flushed face.

Anything that you desire

Anything at all

Every day I'll take you higher

And I'll never let you fall

As the song gained height, the couple was taken back to that moonlit night, on a windowsill of her mother's house. Thumbelina was ecstatic to meet Buzzby and consented to go on a romantic ride with the enchanted fairy she had just met. As for Cornelius, he was just as enchanted, if not more, than she was. Not only was she beautiful, but amazingly witty and charming. Thrilled to have her in his company, the threesome sailed into the night, with Thumbelina's laugh ringing into the evening air.

Let me be your wings

Leave behind the world you know

For another world of wondrous things

Thumbelina gazed into her husband's eyes, remembering her own experience that night. Though she was going beyond the boundaries of her home, she felt no fear. She chose to trust Cornelius completely, and was rewarded. The world he had exposed her to was truly a breathtaking sight, a sight she wouldn't have seen if it weren't for the handsome man she now found herself with. Higher and higher they climbed, until it seemed like they could reach out and touch the stars.

As Cornelius continued to serenade his bride, little did he know he was beginning to draw attention. Upon hearing their son's voice, the King and Queen floated to the bedchamber doors, more curious than concerned. As happy as they were to accept their new daughter-in-law, the details of their meeting were kept in the dark, mostly because Cornelius wanted it to be so. He knew his mother despised the idea of riding on Buzzby, not to mention his absence on that very important night. As such, they had never heard this new song until now. As silently as they could, they open the door a fraction, only to be thoroughly pleased. Their son knelt by the bed, singing softly to his beloved. It was clear they had made amends and were now caught in their own little world.

King Talbert, his eyes full of pride, turned to his wife. "There is a king," he murmured. "I doubt we'll ever be able to criticize him now."

Tabitha turned back to the scene before them, smiling. "I do believe you're right, my love," she whispered. "I do believe you're right."

We'll se the universe

And dance on Saturn's rings

As the song neared its end, the couple began descending back down to earth. The rain had settled to a light drizzle, clouding the grasses and shrubs in a dark blue mist. Inside, Cornelius was now caressing Thumbelina's hair lovingly as she began to fall back into the darkness of sleep. With the utmost tenderness in his eyes, he completed the song.

Stay with me And let me be your wings…

With the song fading to silence, the sounds of the rain could be heard outside, pattering lightly on the balcony. Cornelius sighed as he looked down on his angel. By morning, her fever will have faded and the tension of the day before would vanish. Until then, he was content to stay right where he was, entranced by the woman who had blessed his life so completely. Kissing her forehead softly, he settled himself beside her, eager to spend many more summer nights with his precious Thumbelina.

The End