Once upon a time, in a certain enchanted place that lies in the heart of a forest, magical creatures called villy rejoiced as midspring was now upon them.
The flowers were in full bloom, the fruits were ripe and bright, as they awaited to be plucked from the tree branches. The water of the river was wide and clear, like the finest looking glass, and the rainbow smiled down on them as heaven also rejoiced along.
There was music in the air—an enchanting, harmonious melody that guaranteed to put someone on their feet and dance along with the tune without ceasing. A feast of bounties was also laid on golden wares—there were fruits, flowers, and even an overflowing honey to which pastries were glazed to perfection. Wine nectars were also present, kept in several barrels, while some villy were merrily drunk, dancing and prancing like pollen of a dandelion that floated in the air.
A celebration was indeed roaring on that day, for a fairy princess now bloomed into a dainty villa, was presented for the first time amongst the kingdom's subjects.
The moment she set foot inside the large rose, everyone was in awe, for the princess was a true beauty. Her hair was like sunshine, gold like its rays and divine like its glow. There were her eyes, like the blue sky, and her skin fair as the snow, emphasising the red of her cheeks and lips whenever she beamed a lovely smile. And there were her wings—oh, how beguiling her wings were that were the colours of the sunrise when gold and rose came waltzing on the sky, reflected even on the glittering waters below. Once she was presented, the fairy queen, who was the princess's beloved older sister, placed a golden crown on her head, kissed her cheeks, and whispered, "I am happy for you are like the swan, beautiful and graceful."
After she was crowned, the villy then commenced an ancient dance that made the flowers bloom even more and swayed along with their gliding. The trees also chimed in, as their leaves chanted along with the winds, making the feast very enchanting. Everyone was in merry spirits, praising nature for its bounty and their ancestors as they also sang a plea to bless their beautiful fairy princess.
The celebration ran for seven days and seven nights, filling the forest with joyful tunes and life after the long, despairing winter that had happened months before. The villy certainly showed no fatigue as they sang and danced like tomorrow would never come.
Once the feast was over, the spring was sanctified with peace and a fruitful season as every tree continued to bear more flowers and ripe bounties for every villa to enjoy. Looking at the happiness and satisfaction painted across her subjects' faces, the fairy queen breathed out a sigh of relief, equally grateful that spring was so kind to them. On that night, as the full moon illuminated the velvet sky, the fairy princess became curious, wondering about this certain tradition that was the blood that kept running in the veins of the kingdom.
"Sister," The fairy princess reached out, as her soft voice echoed inside the quiet room of the fairy queen. "I was wondering, why our father is not here? Why were the Villy not allowed to have a complete family like those humans I saw by—"
"You went out to the border again?" The fairy queen asked, almost in an accusatory tone. "Dear, I told you never to go out beyond the borders!"
The fairy princess became bashful, biting her lip, and said no more for her curiosity had unveiled her secret of going out and about beyond the magical boundaries, where the mortals lived. "I—I am so—sorry." She apologised as her tongue stumbled with her words.
Disappointed, the fairy queen breathed deeply and decided to reprimand her little sister no longer, although she was still worried about this horrible habit of hers. This secretive habit began when the fairy princess was still young, when her head was filled with curiosity, especially about humans, as told to her by her old nursemaids' tales. Stories about mortal men's daily lives were not forbidden, but seeing them was a big taboo, especially if that certain man was not of blue blood…
All villy were lovely females, guardians of the forest and hidden guardians of travellers, as they warned them of incoming dangers and even punished them if they became a nuisance to the forest they traversed. A villa with wings was unique, for they were from the line of ancient deities assigned to oversee other villas and became the guardian and protector of the flock. These winged villy were also descended from blue-blooded mortals, making them pure and royalty like those kings and queens of various kingdoms—hence the reason they needed to produce heirs from noblemen to keep the sanctity of their enchanting existence.
But meeting with a mere mortal, it was never an option, as some villa who fell into this kind of misfortune were banished, stripped of their magic, and never to return to their beloved forest unless they produced daughters, then they could return to the borders and surrender their baby girl to the grove, never to be seen again. And this was the explanation of the wingless villa that became the subject of the fairy queen. Though not blessed with wings, these villy were equally magical, just like their mothers.
Looking at the heavens, the moon was bright and beautiful, magnetising every eye that gazed before her. As the fairy queen continued to stare at such a lovely sight, she then told her sister a tradition they must keep—and it was a high time for her to comply. "Now, listen, my dear sister: the next full moon will be brighter than tonight's—it is about time I tell you that a boat will be coming and a blue-blooded man will come on our shores, ready to take your hand in marriage."
The fairy princess said nothing, petrified and flabbergasted by what her sister told her. She knew she needed to get married, but she hadn't expected that it would be too soon. With her feet turning ice, the princess was anxious, fidgeting with her finger until she stammered as she responded, "Ma—marry? Bu—but, sister, isn't marriage scary like you once told me—"
"Forget what I said…" The fairy queen interjected while she turned to face her. "I was naïve, my dear. Our way of life has to continue. Your fate is going to be different, and I know you understand. You are a good girl, right?"
Left without any alternative, the fairy princess reluctantly nodded—exhaling a weary sigh as she curled a forced smile, trying to mask the different emotion that started to sprout in her soul. And when she returned to her suite, her tears began to stream down like raindrops, cold and haunting as her fear grew bigger.
For the past days and nights, the fairy princess could not stop thinking about the incoming blue-blood man, who was about to set foot on their shore, ready to take her into matrimony. She contemplated his character: Will he be kind? Affectionate? Or perhaps haughty, reminiscent of the tales her former nursemaids recounted? Who could have fathomed? While grasping a doll that resembled a knight, she reflected on whether he would be handsome, ordinary, or akin to a troll lurking beneath a bridge, characterised by his lengthy beard, large eyes, and a grin that unmistakably revealed his mischievous nature. Yet again, how could she conclude when there was no indication of his identity, merely ancient stories shared by her sister?
Soon, the expected full moon was upon them, illuminating in bright blush as the million stars twinkled—singing a heavenly tune that brought serenity to the night. Cicadas harmonised with the birds, creating a gentle melody reminiscent of ancient romantic ballads, which, though long forgotten, lingered in the murmurs of the breeze. Nevertheless, the fairy princess felt no comfort, aware that this would be the night she was destined to be with someone she did not love.
As her sister and their subjects prepared for the betrothal ceremony, the fairy princess decisively escaped—leaving the enchanted palace as she whispered her farewells to her sister. Even though she donned the sacred pink gown for the ceremony, she ignored its significance, and the fairy princess collected her cloak and quickly departed, racing through the thickets where branches seemed to beckon her to halt her intentions. Nevertheless, resolute in her decision to never wed the man she had neither met nor loved, the fairy princess persisted in her flight until she arrived at the shores where a row of boats was anchored. Now, on this shore, the magic was thin, and humans and villy shared this world ever since the dawn of time. But never wanting to cause further trouble, it has been decided by the humans, ever since, that this certain shore is forbidden to be crossed. As the pink moon rose high in the heavens, the fairy princess exerted all her strength as she hurriedly pushed her boat, placed the little things she gathered, and carefully rode on her craft, hoping her stillness would not stir any sleeping being that might report her back to the fairy queen…
Yet, as she began to row, there was a sudden sweeping wind—so strong that when she looked up, a fat nimbus cloud ceased the moon's reign, releasing a strong storm with its might that was indeed inevitable.
The fairy princess was terrified as her wings were being swept away, creating further turmoil. While she clung to the boat, attempting to navigate it back to the shore amidst the increasingly fierce winds and the tumultuous rise and fall of the waves. However, with no luck, the storm swirled the fairy princess farther from the shores and swept her away to a place too foreign from the enchanting place she knew. She fell unconscious from the whole ordeal, dreaming of the darkness as the winds teased her, blowing her from left and right until the bad weather faded, permitting the night to be at peace once more.
There was a never-ending darkness before her, even as she stretched; her hands were never visible. She could not even speak, feeling her throat swelling, not until a certain pain on her back jolted her out from her dreamless slumber.
Upon slowly fluttering her eyes, a figure was before her—draped in the moon's glow and covered in all haze that she gasped in fright, although her sight was still all blurred.
"Who—who are you?" She asked, trembling as she moved away from the stranger.
"Careful!" His voice was deep yet filled with concern when he tried to reach out to her. As she heard him, the fairy princess became more frightened and cautious that a man would see her. "I think there is something in your back that might probably hurt you even more."
With another pain shooting from her back, the fairy princess's wings spread wide, surprising the man whose eyes grew wide at such a sight. He was fixated, completely speechless to see the wonder right before him. The stranger's hands began to feel cold, even sweating profusely, yet he could not find himself to run away nor take his eyes off of her. She was beautiful, even more so when the moon's light came upon her, bathing her with its light so that her wings glowed and her charm glimmered.
However, one of her wings was clearly broken, bending to its side, and there was blood seeping out from the wound. The fairy princess was frantic and in pain, crying her heart out when she saw what had happened to her wings. "Oh, no!" She yelped as she tried to stand on her feet, only to stumble and be more sore.
"Oi! Be careful!" The man rushed to her, took her into his arms, and gently settled her down before taking a closer look at her wings, despite his curiosity brewing more and more.
Once she was settled, the fairy princess slightly flinched from his presence and tearfully pleaded, "Ple—please do—do not hu—hurt me."
Raising a brow, the man felt pity when he saw how she tried to protect herself with her thin arms, thinking that he would hurt her. Lowering herself to her, he lightly took her hands, warmed them into his, and said in a hushed tone, "I am not going to hurt you. I saw you unconscious by the shore and was hoping that—" When his gaze caught hers, the man became speechless once more, struggling with what he was about to say, for her beauty was unlike he had ever seen. She was beyond the mortal charm, truly an ethereal being who was sadly in pain, confused, and afraid merely because of his presence. "I—I am sorry…" He finally spoke, breaking away from some kind of enchantment that bound him for a moment. "I did not mean to stare, but—I—I am here to help you. Ar—are you alright?"
"You—you are not going to hurt me?" Her voice was still shaking, but sounded like the soft bells of the church every Sunday.
"Hurt you? No—never will I do that, sinjorina,"
Since then, the man and the fairy princess slowly became friends—learning of each other's names, each other's lives… She was even introduced to his fellowmen, who were also fascinated by her and who, she found out, were washed away towards the shore all because of the same sudden storm.
She learned that these men were humble merchants, sailing towards the opposite shore where they were supposed to join a caravan to try their fortune. Yet, fate changed their course as they were forced to dock and repair the damage to their boat, which could take days.
And for these days, the merchant man and the fairy princess grew fond of each other—sensing the undeniable connection between them as they understood each other more and more for every day they talked and never left each other's gaze.
He found her odd—too innocent, too curious that he wondered more about her world, the world she told him was magical and how she was brought up. He asked himself, as he stared at her while she joyfully helped one of his men fix the boat, Do fairies have a different life compared to ours? He snapped out of his musing and tried to pay more attention to tying some knots on his ropes. However, every time he heard her laugh echoing in the air, he could not help but look at her, stare at her face, and savour such beauty and grace he had never seen before in all of his female peers. Truly, this girl was so enchanting that his mind could no longer wander away from her since the time he first saw her on the shore, unconscious with the fascinating wings of a butterfly that were wounded and damaged. The way her long golden hair swayed along with her as she pranced around, how her blue eyes glimmered with shyness that was pure and eager, and there was the voice that always haunted him—even in his sleep, she was still there in all of her unfathomable charm.
She, too, had something in wonderment about him. He was strange—the men there with her are unorthodox but very kind. Most of them were old, but that man who rescued her from the shore was younger. Somehow, all those bad descriptions portrayed in her nursemaids' tales were far from how these merchants treated her. They all treated her like a daughter. Although at first, they did find her strange and even thought she was some beast who wanted to devour them. Yet, once they knew her, the men now adored her and even shared with them about their lives at home—about their family, about their village, and even about their work as merchants. The fairy princess was certainly fascinated with the trinkets they brought from their homeland, and some were new to her. At that moment, she even questioned what she felt about the very friendly young merchant man, who sometimes seemed to avoid her.
There was a moment when the rain returned to mock them once more; the fairy princess clumsily swept a small part of the provisions, prompting the young merchant to become infuriated, deeply frustrated with her, to the point that he shouted and referred to her as an abomination. This uncalled outburst caused the fairy great sorrow, and she ran away from the camp. The young man immediately felt guilty that his fellow merchants encouraged him to apologise, telling him, "The child did not mean to lose our supply. Everyone could have a graceless moment at some point." Disappointed by what he had told the princess, the merchant set off to search for her.
Yet, at that very moment, the wind was equally mad—blowing hard, causing everything to be easily swept away back into the waters. His coldness was also a walking curse that gnawed on everyone's skin like a feral dragon, leaving sores and cuts along its wake. As he tread against the strong wind currents, the young merchant man called out for the fairy princess, begged for her forgiveness and pleaded for her to return with him to the camp before the storm brewed stronger.
And after many minutes of searching for her, he finally found her, down into a pit where she was badly wounded, and her wings had fallen off from her fall as it shrank into the size of a butterfly. Upon seeing her bad state, the young merchant immediately went down and carried her back to the surface, where he could take a closer look at her wounds.
The poor fairy princess was already wingless at that point… Magic all lost as she carried the burden of disenchantment.
Sad and worried about her, the young merchant man cried as he cradled her and tended to her wounds. He whispered sweet things while she remained unconscious and even professed his love to her.
"I love you…" His words echoed in her dreamless sleep, waking her. And when she opened her eyes, she cried with him, and accepted his kiss as he locked her in his tight embrace.
As they revealed their sincere sentiments, the youthful merchant and the fairy princess were no longer limited by their contrasts, and they now openly expressed the love that had sprouted from the moment they met.
Soon, as he bravely bent on one knee, with cheers from his fellow merchants, the young man asked for the fairy princess's hands in marriage, as he knew that their time to sail back to their destination was almost upon them.
With a sweet and sunny smile beaming on her face, the fairy princess accepted his proposal, and the two then got married in a little church in a nearby small village of just a few folks. Once the priest sealed their vows before the altar, the merchant and the fairy princess became man and wife.
And as for her wings, the man kept them and fashioned them into a pendant so that at least she could wear her wings, might not be on her back, but near her heart.
The fairy princess had never felt so happy before. It was like she had been free from her chains and now she found the liberty to love and be loved by the man who was meant for her—whose soul was entwined to hers ever since the dawn of time.
'Man and wife', these words echoed in her heart, pounding its rhythm out of its tune that she could not believe she was now a married lady. Every time she and her husband stared into each other's eyes, it was like a thousand butterflies were flying inside her, encouraging such strong ardour that they both could feel their feet were floating in the air.
The man and the fairy princess's love was blooming rapidly, as stars burned bright in the heavens…
However, their bliss would soon end, much like the morning when dusk came.
As her heart grew weary and in agony while she searched for her little sister, the fairy queen then learned about her whereabouts through the birds in the air. She also learned of her marriage to a mere mortal who was said to be from a boat filled with lowborn, never actually meant to touch or see a creature such as them.
Her soul was then filled with anger, now burning with fury as she felt every fibre of her bones spark with the betrayal of her sister. Overshadowed with sorrow and bitterness, the fairy queen then searched for the fairy princess and her husband and let them feel the rage her heart and mind had consumed.
Once dawn came, the aurora swept through the sky, fascinating those who beheld her. But to the fairy princess, it was an odd sign from heaven. Her heart was pounding loudly as she rested into her husband's arms, trying to erase the fear that came burbling like a soup on a burning hot cauldron. But when the dead of the night came, and no stars twinkled in the sky, the fairy queen appeared before the man and her sister in a thick cloud of smoke, dark and blinding like the anger and betrayal she felt.
"For many days and nights, I shed so many tears that I could feel blood was seeping out, all because I wanted to find you—to have you back in our home where you are safe." Her voice trembled, fighting against the threatening tears and sorrows that truly burdened her heart. "I was hoping and praying to the spirits that you would return, but here you are, married, not to the blue-blooded man like it has been destined for us, but to a mere man who has nothing to his name!"
Her words resonated and stabbed right through the fairy princess, hurting her more than her husband, who remained firm in protecting her. But with the uncalled offence, the once timid fairy princess stood against her sister and defended her marriage as she justified, "Our love is meant to be—entwined tightly ever since light came upon the earth. Please, sister, know that this is my happiness."
Yet darkness fully engulfed the fairy queen…
Instead of showing understanding and mercy, she raised her hand, glared in fury at the lovers, and cursed them—cursed at her sister that she would never set foot on her homeland again, and trials would be upon them.
Since that gloomy and dense night, it was said, the merchant man and the fairy princess set sail far from the enchanted forest with heavy hearts and never returned, just as the fairy queen said.