Utapri Short Stories

Gold - Part 2 (End)

Fortunately, Haru was able to convince the fairies to wait a little longer before condemning her. Thus, she gained two more days to get rid of the human or else she would lose her magic and die. Kira was desperate and insisted that he should leave as soon as possible so as not to harm her further. “I don't intend to kill you.”  Haru shook her head. “No matter what they say, I don't think it's right.”

“Haru ... If you don't, you'll end up dying.” Kira explained feeling his heart tighten in his chest. “I can't let that happen!” The boy shook his head and made a move to touch the girl's face, but then he remembered his powers and stepped back. “Come with me to my kingdom. I will protect you! The fairies will not find you there.” He suggested.

The fairy's face lit up, even though her heart was very afraid. Haru accepted the proposal and they fled in the middle of the night, mounted on the horse that was completely healed.  When the fairies learned of the escape, they were even more angry, but they did not dare to invade the human kingdom. They still feared that race and did not want to risk starting a war.

Although they had run away from the fairies, Kira knew that he needed to keep Haru safe in the castle, so no one could know that she was a fairy.  Upon arriving, Haru used camouflage magic and was introduced to the queen as a lost orphan that the prince had rescued. The queen found the young woman charming and soon saw in their eyes what they had not yet noticed for themselves: the blooming of a passion. So she welcomed the girl as if she were already her own daughter.

Haru wanted to thank the prince for bringing her to the castle, so she used her magic to cure the queen's illness.  Kira was so grateful and happy that he smiled for the first time. “You have a beautiful smile.” Haru spoke in return for the smile he gave her. The two were embarrassed and ended up changing the subject, but the queen was seeing everything and now she knew the truth about the young woman.

A few more days passed and they spent more and more time together. Kira and Haru made a beautiful couple and everyone in the kingdom was talking about it. One day, when they were having a picnic in the garden, Haru ended up confessing that she liked the prince very much. “How can you like someone like me?” The boy asked in a sad tone. “I can't even touch you...” And he looked at his hands, disconsolate.

“It doesn't matter that you can't touch me. I love you for the person you are.  Kind, brave, gentleman... You saved me even after what my species did to your family. You don't hold a grudge.  You are...” But Kira interrupted her. He still didn't think he was worthy of someone as pure, beautiful and kind as she was. He thought of himself as a cursed monster. “Please, Kira ... Let me show you how I see you.” Haru asked by stretching her hands to touch him.

Without knowing for certain the reason, perhaps acting on instinct, Kira tried to push her away and in doing so ended up touching her. Haru was wrong about the magic of fairies not affecting her and the moment the prince touched her, she was transformed into a golden statue. The boy went into despair and started to cry, embracing the statue and asking the gods to correct his mistake and spare her life. Screams from him alarmed the castle guards, who rushed to help him.

No one knew how to help the young prince and they were too shocked by the golden statue of a fairy, because when she was transformed, Haru's wings reappeared. The queen approached her son with a broken heart and stroked his hair in an attempt to soothe him. In the midst of despair and not knowing what to do, Kira made a crazy decision.

He found a way to transport Haru back to the fairy forest and was willing to sacrifice himself to save her life. He would do anything to get her back to normal. With that, he said goodbye to his mother and the other inhabitants of the castle and went to the foot of the mountain. Upon arriving there, he was met with the wrath of the fairies.  The boy, desperate, dodging magic attacks, asked the forgiveness of the fairies and tried to explain what had happened.

“Please ... I beg you to get her back to normal ... It's not her fault!  I coerced her into doing everything she did!  Take it out on me!  Take my life for hers ...!  Please ...” Kira dropped to his knees and bowed his head in front of the fairy queen, who was ready to launch a deadly attack. The boy closed his eyes and continued to plead, but the attack never came. A very intense light illuminated his body and left him stunned.

“Your sacrifice will be rewarded. Your heart is pure and your desire is sincere. The curse has been broken.”  The queen of the fairies announced and with a strong explosion of light, all the fairies returned to their homes.  Kira felt the curse disappear and took off his gloves with shaking hands.  He looked at Haru with a hopeful look, but the girl was still a golden statue. His heart went into despair again and he hugged her tightly, crying.

He cried for a while, then slowly touched his lips to hers. A cold kiss that gradually became hot, as he no longer kissed the lips of a statue, but Haru's lips. The fairy had returned to normal and was stroking his face tenderly. A gentle smile on her lips.

“Please smile. Do not cry.” Haru hugged the prince and they ended up crying together, but not a cry of sadness, it was a cry of joy. After recovering, they returned to the kingdom of Kira and told the news to the queen, who was really happy. The whole kingdom celebrated the return of the prince and the end of the curse.

It didn't take long for Kira and Haru to get married, and so the whole kingdom returned to celebrate new good news. For this wedding the forest fairies were invited and this gesture put a definitive end to the enmity between humans and fairies.  The love that arose between the two races proved to be stronger than any magic or curse.

Prince Kira began to smile constantly and the young fairy Haru never had to live alone again for not agreeing to mistreat humans. The error made by the greedy king was fixed and everything went back to how it was many years ago. So, like every fairy tale, everyone lived happily... Ever after? I do not know. Forever is a long time. I can say that they lived happily until the end of their earthly lives.

~ The End ~

Chapter cover edited by me.

Story originally published in my Instagram account: _utapri.stories !