A Fairy Tale for All The Years

The king, while wandering down the busy marketplace, stumbled upon a merchant selling dog eared books and sweet scented lilies. The king hastened to cover the crest of the imperial home that blazed upon his shirt with his hand, but in a fleeting moment, the king realized he need not to. The old merchant was blind.

"Good day to you, Madam." The king used to be wild, like a river, uncouth and bitter, seemingly cut from a rugged cloth. That changed now, the king's voice was as gentle as the wind that steeped into the old woman's skin.

"How are you, fine sir?"

The king did not reply, for a book caught his eye. Picking up the book bounded in a rose like hue, the king ran his eyes quickly over the page. Ah, the story of Nylfia and Demes, a story the king's brother once told him long ago.

Nylfia, daughter of the Dragon King, fell in love with Demes, the young son of the Lord of the Birds. The dragons and birds were forever at war with one another, over a problem forgotten throughout the ages. The dragons and birds fought because that was the only thing they knew was to fight, and to fight each other.

The king did not very much like the story, for Nylfia and Demes confessed their love for one another, only in the end to kill themselves in a fit of misunderstanding and deception. The fate of the two lovers touched the king and echoed to him a future that might be his own.

However, in the book's version, the story went on to say that from Nylfia's body and Demes' wings rose a human child, grey eyed and small of frame. The child, neither boy nor girl, but beautiful with the moon and sun glistening against smooth skin, could talk the moment feet touched the sun scorched earth.

The Dragon King noticed the child was crying and asked why.

"Do you cry because your mother died?"

"No, you senseless lizard, because the child will never have a father," squawked the Lord of the Birds, ruffling his crown of gold feathers.

"No," the child spoke in words that only sky and sun could hear, "I cry because their love gave birth to me, even after their spirits left this earth. Oh, if I could only love like that, I'll be whole again."

He placed the book back on the merchant's stall. What a beautiful story, thought the king.