Young Princess Elaine is not your typical royal.
With a bow in hand and the wild forest as her refuge,
Though her elder sister is poised for the throne, Elaine finds solace in the forests that border their kingdom. Riding her loyal horse, Stolas, she often escapes the confines of palace life to roam among the trees.
One fateful day, Elaine stumbled upon an injured bear with silvery fur and pitch-black eyes. Despite its intimidating size, the creature's groans of pain tug at her heart. Without hesitation, she begins treating its wounds, even as it growls in protest.
As she works, a shadow falls over her. "You're either very brave or very foolish to approach a creature like that."
She jumps, startled, and immediately reaches for her bow. "Who are you? Stay back!"
He raises his hands in mock surrender, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Relax, mortal. I mean you no harm. Though I might reconsider if you insist on pointing that at me."
Elaine narrows her eyes, still on edge but noticing the strange glow in his gaze. "You're.. fae? You are supposed to be in the deep woods-- "
The mysterious fellow tilts his head, studying her.
She lowers her bow reluctantly but keeps a firm grip on it. "My name is Penelope, and if you're not here to hurt me, then help me. This bear is dying."
He hesitates, then kneels beside her. With a faint glow of his hand, the bear's wounds begin to knit together, revealing its true form—a guardian spirit of the fae realm.
"My name is Ronan, and there are dangers of meddling in fae affairs., Princess."
She stiffens at the mention of her title. "How do you know who I am ?"
He grins, standing as the guardian bear lumbers away. "..the same way I know your name is not Penelope."
Silence.
"Nice to meet you, Elaine ."
Before she can respond, he vanishes into the trees with nothing but a breath of voice in the wind.
"Same time next month?"
"Wait what-"
She did return the next month. And many more months after that, the two meet in secret. What began as a cautious conversation deepens into a genuine friendship.
At first, she questioned him about his magic and his world, while He teases her about her mortal curiosity. "Why do you keep coming back?" Elaine said
"Perhaps I find you interesting. Mortals are so…unpredictable."
She frowned slightly. "Or maybe you're just bored."
"Or maybe, I want to ensure you don't stumble into further danger.
Over time, they begin sharing pieces of their lives.
"Do you ever feel trapped, princess? "
"All the time. Although my sister and brother have the most responsibilities, I feel my destiny is to be an overlooked second princess. Sometimes I wish I could just… disappear. Live in the forest, free from all of it." Elaine said softly
Careful what you wish for," he whispered, "The grass isn't always greener on the other side, even if were in the middle of a forest."
"We are both bound by roles we did not choose. Perhaps that's why I find these moments with you so freeing."
Ronan reaches for a branch and pulls off a red flower. "Here..so you never feel unseen. "
Tonight, the rain was relentless, pouring from the heavens as if the very sky was weeping for what was to come.
The kingdom was cloaked in a soft, persistent drizzle. The first week of every month, the prince would appear in the forest, just as they had agreed.
It had become a ritual for them—one that had kept her grounded, despite the pressures of her royal duties.
This time, he said tonight would be special.
Elaine rushed through the palace halls, her heart racing as she reached the stable.
The storm was fierce, the winds howling and the rain coming down in sheets.
She had promised to meet him, the prince of the fairies, as they always did, but this time, it was dangerous.
"My lady, the storm is too fierce. It's too dangerous to ride out. Stolas will not survive such a downpour."
Elaine hesitated
Her bond with her horse was strong, and she knew that Stolas could handle the rain, but it wasn't just the rain that worried her—it was the treacherous paths she would have to navigate to reach the forest's clearing.
where they always met. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had to see him, that something was waiting for her out there in the woods.
"I suppose you are correct.."
But the stableman, old and wise, placed a gentle hand on her arm, his voice firm yet kind.
"Your father would have my head if you were to leave tonight. Please, my lady, if it important i will go myself"
Frustrated, Elara stepped back, the weight of the decision sinking in.
She couldn't risk it. She knew her father's wrath would be swift, and yet, the ache in her heart was unbearable.
Reluctantly, she turned away from the stable doors, retreating to her room, but the disappointment weighed heavily in her chest.
She hadn't even fully removed her cloak when she sat by the window, gazing out at the relentless down pour,as she closed her eyes to try and steady her thoughts, a soft sound caught her attention—an odd, rhythmic tapping at the window.
Elara's heart skipped a beat.
The window… Her mind quickly pieced it together. She stood, rushed to the glass, and there, outside the window, drenched but determined, was the prince.
"how did you—"
"You can't possibly think I would let a little rain keep me from seeing you, could you?"
Before she could react, he climbed over the balcony's edge with surprising grace, landing softly on the stone floor. His clothes were soaked, his hair dampened by the rain, but his eyes gleamed with a mischievous light.
He gave her a playful grin as if the weather was of no consequence at all.
" ive flown through far worse storms than this.besides-
He smiled again, his eyes sparkling even in the rain." i knew solas wouldn't want to get his royal hooves dirty."
He reached for her hand, his touch warm despite the chill in the air, as he gently led her to the balcony.
Prince: "The rain may be fierce, but tthe forest will be even more magical in the mist. Are you still coming with me?"
she looked out at the darkened horizon, the sheets of rain swirling in the air, but then back at the prince—his unwavering smile, his presence so familiar and comforting, despite the storm that surrounded them.
She could never resist him.
With a final glance toward the room she had momentarily retreated to, Elara followed him as they slipped out into the night, leaving the castle behind them.
The storm raged on, but their laughter echoed through the halls as they rode together into the wet wilderness.
They may have been a world apart, bound by their royal blood and status, but in moments like this, in the rain-soaked embrace of the forest, they were just two souls who had found each other—and for a while, nothing else seemed to matter.
After Elara and Ronan escape the castle and venture into the stormy night, they make their way to a secluded part of the forest—an enchanting grove they had discovered years ago, hidden deep within the trees.
This place had always been their secret haven, far from the prying eyes of the court and the pressures of their royal lives.
It was a place where they could simply be themselves, without the weight of duty and expectations.
"Where are we going? This is far beyond the usual meeting spot." Elaine said .
"I promised I'd show you a part of my world."
His words were so earnest, so full of quiet conviction, that Elara felt her heart race.
The more they ventured into the wilderness, the more the air seemed to shift.
The trees were thick and ancient, the trunks winding and knotted, their roots rising from the earth like natural sculptures.
Finally, they arrived at a clearing.
The trees parted to reveal a hidden glade, bathed in mist and rain. It was a place so serene that it seemed untouched by time.
A small brook ran through it, its waters sparkling despite the storm.
Wildflowers—brave little blooms—dotted the glade in colors of soft lavender and white, their petals heavy with rainwater.
"This is it. —my haven." He extended a hand to her.
Elaine hesitated for a moment, looking around at the glade, at the beauty of it all. Everything was still and quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of the rain, as though the world itself was holding its breath.
As they slowed to a stop, breathing heavily from the dance, they stood there, faces close, soaked to the bone but glowing with something deeper than the storm could ever wash away.
She looked into his eyes, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.
"Would you care to dance?"
Elara laughs, a light, carefree sound, and takes his hand. "In the rain?"
"Why not , You love the rain "
They step into the clearing, dancing beneath the trees.
The rain has softened now, but the ground is still slick, and the world feels alive with magic.
The rhythm of their steps is in sync with the soft hum of the forest around them, the moonlight now fully breaking through the clouds, illuminating their movements.
They twirl and laugh, forgetting about the storm outside, forgetting about their royal responsibilities, and living in the magic of the moment.
Two young hearts lost in the beauty of the world and in each other's company.
It's a night they both know they will never forget, a night that marks the beginning of something deeper than they could have imagined.
A promise, silent but clear, that no matter what their futures hold, they will always have this—the memory of dancing together under the rain, in a world where only they exist.
As the dance slowed to a gentle stop, the rain still falling softly around them, Elara and the prince stood in the center of the glade, their breath mingling in the cool night air. The storm that had once seemed so wild and unrelenting now felt distant, fading into the background as something magical took its place.
The trees around them seemed to lean in closer, as though the entire forest was holding its breath.
It was then that the first of the fireflies appeared—tiny specks of blue light flickering through the mist.
At first, they were just a few, but soon the entire glade was alight with the glow of the fireflies, their soft blue light weaving in and out of the rain, creating a twinkling tapestry in the air.
The soft glow was enchanting, and it felt as if the world had come alive with magic.
"These fireflies… they only appear once every 10 years , when the world has quieted enough to hear the whispers of the earth."
Elara watched in awe as the fireflies danced around them, their blue glow casting an ethereal light on the ground, on the trees, and on the prince standing beside her.
She felt a deep sense of peace in her chest, the storm in her heart calming, much like the storm in the skies had.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
They stood together, side by side, watching the fireflies twinkle like stars scattered on the forest floor.
The air was thick with the unspoken connection between them, and Elaine could feel the weight of everything they had shared in the past, the longing and uncertainty that had built between them, slowly dissolving.
"I never imagined a place like this existed."
The prince smiled softly, his gaze never leaving hers. There was something different in his eyes now, a tenderness that spoke more than words ever could.
"Every time I'm with you, I feel like I'm where I'm meant to be."
Elara's heart raced, the weight of his confession settling deep within her chest.
She had always felt the pull of something more between them, but hearing it from him, hearing him speak his truth, made everything else feel insignificant.
But the truth was always there, lingering in the back of her mind.
Their worlds were not meant to intersect.
The moment would pass, and they would return to their separate lives—one bound by duty, the other by a promise to his people.
But too hell with it.
"I… I love —"
"Don't say it ."
" Not until I see you next . I promise it will make it worth remembering."
The air around them seemed to hum with the energy of their confession, the fireflies swirling faster in the rain-soaked night, as though the entire world was celebrating this moment. He leaned in, his face tender and full of emotion.
Elaine closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his breath against her skin before his lips met hers.
The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if they were both savoring the sweetness of finally being free to be with each other.
But then it deepened, growing with intensity, fueled by everything they had shared and everything they had fought for.
When they finally pulled away, their foreheads pressed together, both breathing heavily from the kiss, they didn't need to say anything else.
In the quiet, rain-drenched glade, surrounded by the blue glow of the fireflies, they both knew—this was just the beginning.
They had found something worth fighting for.
They shared a laugh, and for a moment, Elara could pretend that nothing in the world could separate them.
No storm. No rules. No destiny. Just the two of them, as they had always been.
One dream, in particular, haunted her: she stood at the edge of a cliff, holding an arrow in her hands.
Below her, the land was in turmoil—dying forests, withering crops, and rivers of ash. She heard a voice, deep and resonant, commanding her:
"Protect the earth. Bear the burden. Bind the chaos."
She realizes she over slept and will be late meeting the prince.
"I'm sorry I'm late..i didn't mean to—you would never believe the dream I had-—"
But no one answered.
She looked everywhere.
Waited .
But it was clear.
He vanishes without a trace, leaving Elaine with only the memory of their time together.
She returns every first week for the next several months, but the forest remains silent.
No explanation, no farewell.
But it was rememberable.