Gift of Happily Ever After
1338 Words
"Dragon's lair?!" The plump old woman loudly repeated the question she was asked.
She had balanced a basket filled with turnips for the winter on her hips as she narrowed her beady eyes at the knights in shining armour.
"Yes, is there a black dragon's lair around?" Prince Lloyd repeated his question.
Prince Lloyd was slowly losing his patience. He pulled out a small pouch of gold and threw it in her basket.
The old woman gave Prince Lloyd a toothless smile and pointed her dust caked, wrinkly finger at the direction of the mountain and spoke.
"Me husband goes to that part of the mountain to hunt, if you go straight, and cross this part of the mountain and get to the other side you will find a huge ruined castle. That is where that dragon lives."
Just as the small group of knights were about to leave the woman again spoke.
"The dragon has been dormant for the last one month, I could advise you all to stay away from it."
"Oh shush, you old lady," Bastian muttered, he looked at Prince Lloyd and asked, "Shall we keep moving, my Lord?"
Prince Lloyd nodded. He had fought with every kind of mythical creatures, ever since he was thirteen years old. He wasn't really worried about a dragon. However, for Noel's sake, he had to be careful.
"How many days will it take to reach to the other side of the mountain?" Lloyd asked.
The woman loudly smacked her chapped lips and squited her eyes, as she mentally calculated.
"When my husband goes to the mountain to hunt he returned after three weeks, with your supplies, you can make it in a month and two weeks to the other side, I guess."
"We better make haste then," Prince Lloyd said, he turned to his troops and ordered, "We will tarry at the end of the mountain and depart at sunrise."
So the troops of knights continued their journey in search of Prince Noel.
The old woman got inside her shabby looking hut.
"Stephen is going to have some mobs in his lair, sisters!" The woman exclaimed.
However, her voice was not rough or loud like before instead it sounded like a harp playing a sweet melody.
In place of a dirt caked, old woman, stood a young woman who was in an elegant blue dress and delicate glass like wings behind her back.
"But why?" A soft voice cried. Another woman who looked just like the young woman but was in a red dress. She was sitting on a blood red chair and sewing.
"Apparently, he kidnapped a prince for ransome!"
"Oh my!" Squeaked a third fairy, in a green dress, "We have to warn Stephen then!"
"Don't worry," the blue fairy said, "I have sent them in the wrong direction, it will be months before the even reach Stephen's castle."
"But Blue!" The red fairy—Amber tried to object.
"Amber you need to relax," the green fairy—Grace said. She passed Amber a book and spoke.
"Why don't you read us some poems?"
"Okay," Amber hesitantly agreed and took the book from her sister's hand, "But I can't help but be worried for Stephen!"
"Don't worry Amber," Blue said, "We will visit him to night!"
"Oh look here!" Blue excitedly said as she showed her sister a small pouch.
"I even received a few gold coins for giving them false information!"
"Oh, Stephen would love that gift!" Amber cheered.
***
"And so they lived happily ever after." Stephen said. He closed the book and looked at Noel who was sitting on the couch and quietly listening to Stephen read him stories.
"That was fun!" Noel said.
"What do you want to do now?" Stephen asked. He kept the book on the small table next to the sofa he was sitting on.
"It's nightfall now," Noel said. He got up from the couch and stretched his arms, "I have been thinking of doing something ever since I got here."
"What is it?" Stephen asked.
"Come let's go!" Noel said, he grabbed Stephen's hand and pulled him off the sofa.
They climbed the stairs and walked through the corridors until Noel stopped in front of a door with brass handle.
Stephen frowned, "This room has nothing—"
Noel opened the door. It was the room Noel had seen when he first came to the castle. The room had no roof and wild flowers and vines grew all over the place. It looked like a ruined castle grew in a beautiful garden.
"The stars look so beautiful!" Noel squealed and pulled Stephen in the room with him.
Noel sat down on the ground and patted his side. He grinned at Stephen.
"Come, let's admire the stars in the sky. I am sure there is a constellation called Draco." Noel said and laid down on the ground.
Stephen scoffed, "You wish to show me the constellation Draco because I am a dragon?" He questioned.
"Yes!" Noel answered. He watched with a wide smile as Stephen sat next to him and looked up at the sky.
"I-it's beautiful," Stephen whispered, as his golden eyes widen when he looked up at the stars. He had lived a long life but he hardly gave himself time to admire the stars in the sky. Maybe, he once did but eventually like all things in his life, he forgot to give it value and meaning.
"I never get tired looking at the stars," Noel said and looked at the night sky filled with scattered stars.
Noel felt Stephen lay next to him with his hands on his head. He turned to look at Stephen and turned red, when he found Stephen was already looking him.
"Do you know the story of all the constellations?" Noel whispered.
Stephen's lips tugged into a smile.
"Let me start with the story behind the constellation for Gemini, the twins." Stephen said and looked at the sky.
Noel made excited noises and looked up at the sky searching for the Gemini constellation.
***
"Stephen?" Amber called.
The three fairy sisters entered the rundown castle and started calling Stephen's name but got no response.
"He is not even at his treasury!" Blue exclaimed.
"An extra piece of blueberry pie says he fell asleep somewhere!" Grace declared, "Let's search the castle."
Amber and Blue nodded and all the sisters flew in different directions looking for Stephen, they were determined to find him and win the extra piece of pie.
Amber went to the tallest tower and started looking through ever window. She stopped by the ruined half of the castle that had thick vines growing from it like a waterfall. She flew through the giant hole and stopped mid air.
Her eyes widen in surprise and she send signals for her sister's to come. She flew inside the room and lightly landed on the floor.
Grace was the first one to arrive. She was also pleasantly surprised by the view infront of her as she stood next to Amber.
"Oh, Blue will love this!" Grace excitedly said.
"Oh my wings!" Blue's voice gasped.
Amber and Grace looked up and saw Blue flying down the room.
"Is he the prince Stephen kidnapped?" Blue asked.
"I am sure he is." Amber said.
The three sisters looked at the two figures sleeping peacefully on the floor of the room. A smaller male with soft curly dark hair rested his head on Stephen's board chest. His small hand was on Stephen's other side of the chest which Stephen had gently held.
Stephen's other arm was wrapped around the prince's shoulder holding him close.
"Oh, aren't they looking lovely together!" Amber squealed.
Blue and Grace nodded in approval.
Amber sat on her knees beside the sleeping couple and started waving her hands over their heads in circles. Bright red sparkles started coming out of her hand and landed on Noel and Stephen's heads.
"I give you the gift of happily ever after." Amber whispered.
- Writer
