Book 3. The Book of Love

Book 3
THE BOOK OF LOVE

 CHAPTER 85
 
Fighting for Life
 
Fairy was beside Prince, helping the doctors and nurses as much as she could to fight for his life. Being unconscious, Prince called Fairy often, but was unable to respond to her voice. She would put her cool hand onto his forehead and Prince quit moaning and fell asleep.
It did not take long for the young fellow to regain consciousness and in a week his strong organism began showing signs of recovery. Still, he was too weak to speak and most of the day he slept. Occasionally, opening his eyes, he looked around and a soft childish smile quivered his pale lips. He was unable to discern anyone. Nevertheless, it was a relief—a relief for everyone.
What with Prince recovering, Fairy regained an opportunity to leave every so often and hurry to the flowers, which were always waiting for her. The necessity of Fairy accepting this role seemed easy and natural. Driven by all the good and bad events, Fairy slowly but surely had become a part of the Valley’s everyday life. It was widely acknowledged that her involvement benefited the inhabitants. Even the members of the State Council approached her for an opinion on some delicate matters.
 
 CHAPTER 86
 
Busy Fairy
 
Once Prince gained consciousness, he learned of Fairy’s absences, and knowing nothing about the nature of her changed behavior, got upset and reclusive. However, he was too proud to ask. In her haughty way, Fairy too refused to explain her disappearances.
Along with the progress in Prince’s recuperation, Fairy allowed herself to devote yet more attention to the dwellers of the Valley.
Every day brought new issues that required her attention, as well as new friends.
Fairy still managed to visit Prince each day, but with her growing busyness it was getting difficult to spare the necessary time. Note, my kind reader: in the early morning, having dewed the flowers, Fairy hurried to free some from the night cobweb, then to teach youngsters to cooperate with bees. To calm down frolicking cranesbills took a lot of patience. In one corner of the Valley an ailing marguerite asked for help. In another corner an old chrysanthemum was waiting to settle a dispute with his next door neighbor—a rosemary. You think it is easy to put bandages onto ruptured stems of thorny plants, or either to saw up the torn off leaves or to paste together tender petals and to paint them after? What about teaching the first-graders how to withstand rain and wind; and after all to devote the same attention to the night flowers? Besides, the bees and other friendly insects living in the valley also needed her. The long and short of it was, Fairy was busy much of each day.
 
 CHAPTER 87
 
The Difficult Confession
 
Once Prince became strong enough, he remarked to Fairy, “You seem so busy now... what with? Have you gotten new friends? Who are they? What are you doing?”
“Yes, I am,” answered Fairy belligerently, “Yes, I am very busy. Yes, I’ve gotten many new friends. I hope I’m of real help to some of them. Is anything wrong with that? Do you think that I am so dumb not to taste the irony of your question? It is only you who believes that I am only good for nothing. But the last few weeks have shown that on the contrary, I can help and be respected too. Do you hear that? And I am not ashamed.” She started crying, making Prince squirm. “All… all in the valley loves me but you. Why are you so scornful of me?” choked by tears, she could not continue.
“I am sorry,” said Prince. “I have to agree, I was nervous about your whereabouts, but I was not being sarcastic,” he tenderly took her shaking hands in his palms. “It is too bad, Fairy. You don’t know how wrong you are. Because… because… I love you,” he said, his petals paling, “with every beat of my heart. My love is larger than life and stretches far beyond it.
“I know that love is indescribable. It is an ineffable feeling which has to be proven, not explained. And still I stubbornly want you to know, oh my beloved, that since the very moment I met you, everything in the world makes sense only due to you.
“I no longer value my freedom, nor am I master of  my senses; in vain, relentlessly they argue with each other. My lips, being robbed of ability to admire you, envy my eyes. The eyes complain that unlike my lips, they are unable to speak out their admiration. My brain is in despair, failing to express the flame of its tenderness: the power of logic is helpless in love. The heart… my poor heart doesn’t belong to me any longer. It beats for you. It hopes with you. It lives because of you.
“And now… here is my stubborn reasoning, it questions all the feeling. It reminds me of your indifference passing by a baby-bee who fractured her leg; it leads to the time where you neglected to stretch the hand to a child butterfly, stuck in the resin,” Prince paused, looking for a word.
Offended, Fairy was about to object, but did not, obeying the Prince’s stopping gesture.
“Please, my incomparable and ineffable Fairy, I probably should have spoken about this subject long ago. I didn’t plan to start it now. Nevertheless, it has happened, so let’s finish it. I will not be able to touch it again. I know, Fairy, you are going to say that you would have helped, you merely did not think about it. But that is exactly what I am afraid of.
“What could I offer you… I am neither rich nor famous. The few things I am proud of are my devotion to my flowers and unblemished honor. Does it mean anything to you, Fairy? There has been no man in the world to capture your heart. Most were much better than I. One day I might become poor and miserable… And there’s a question: are you able to fall in love at all?
“I know it sounds selfish, but I want either all or nothing. Now,” Prince started losing consciousness, “please, go… and forgive me every word you have just heard, we have to…” Prince fainted and dropped onto the pillow, his body was trembling in fever.
Fairy was offended. She was embarrassed. She knew that Prince was wrong. Maybe she was such before: indifferent and careless, but not any longer. Under the influence of her true love of Prince, she had changed a lot. She was not a careless and impassive fairy anymore. New sensations, never known before, had filled her icy heart. Her sadness was deep like despair. Having stood there for some time in an uncomfortable silence, Fairy sobbed and hurried away.
 
 CHAPTER 88
 
Poor Fairy
 
Poor, poor Fairy. Her heart was broken. She came to a conclusion that everything was over. Prince did not understand her and did not want to. He would never pardon her and fall in love with her. Fairy determined to leave the Valley of Flowers.
Nevertheless, upon awakening, Fairy was reminded of some of unfulfilled obligations. She worked hard, but at the end of the day a lot of work had not been done yet and required her presence.
After two more busy days the anger dulled down. Fairy yearned to see Prince, but didn’t feel ready yet and didn’t depart the Valley. Why, you may ask, dear reader? She did not have an answer and did not look for any. A sense that she had never experienced kept her from leaving and prompted an excuse: Prince was still sick, so it would be impolite to go away without saying goodbye.
 
 CHAPTER 89
 
Drought
 
There was another reason for Fairy to stay in the Valley.
Fairy was the first to realize that another menace was creeping into the country. Since the winds youngsters had defeated Mrs. Lump-Chunk Wad, the Cumulus Cloud, only a couple of sparse rains had fallen. Few flowers shared Fairy’s worry. The majority did not care much: the soil was wet, and Mr. Singing Splash, a creek, was full of fresh, sweet water. Besides, some rainless spans occurred sporadically in the Valley, but there had never been a drought.
Fairy discussed the problem with Mr. Singing Splash, the Creek, and learnt that there was deficiency in underground supply. Fairy decided not to alarm the Valley until she’d talked the issue over with Prince.
The time was passing fast. Here came June. How would the relations between the Fairy of Dew and Prince the Flower have been resolved? I have good reasons to believe that everything would have come to a happy end; a celebration of the magnificent wedding would have become a memorable page of the Valley’s history. But life does not always go the way we expect it to.
An invisible, untouchable monster by the name of drought oppressed the Valley of Flowers. The ground was drying and cracking. Mr. Singing Splash, the Creek, was becoming more and more shallow each day. Without Fairy’s dew the flowers would have died off already. Fairy collected water from every pit remaining in the watercourse of the creek. She gathered the cold moisture from the steep mountainsides. Still, every day Fairy had to lessen the share of dew to each flower.
 
 CHAPTER 90
 
The Zillions of Messengers
 
Prince consulted with Fairy. He informed her that a week back he asked two brother clouds, to bring a rain in the valley. The week was over, but there was neither a rain, nor the brothers themselves. Something was going on wrong. So Prince asked Fairy if Playful-Fluffy and her family could bring some rains into the valley. Of course, Fairy agreed. But how would she do it, remained to be find out.
There was not a cloud above the Valley. The sky was a pure aquamarine with a diamond of the sun in the middle, burning the flowers mercilessly. Only one wind happened to visit the Valley at that time; he was Swift Sail, the Breeze, a messenger from a far Ocean’s corner. He brought word of mouth for Mr. Singing Splash, the Creek and stayed for a couple of days.
Swift Sale was happy to take the errand, yet he worried for a lack of inexperience and was afraid that the search might take significant time. Fortunately, along came unexpected help. The Dandelions, Mr. and Mrs. White Mist, kindly offered a solution and introduced their sons and daughters sitting on their heads: Downy White-One, Downy White-Two, Downy White-Thousand… Downy White… you, my pal, count them yourself, I am tired already.
Swift Sail, the Breeze, whirled the young Dandelions up and soared them into the high sky letting them go: and the hundreds of thousands of happy messengers set off in all directions to fulfill Prince’s will.
 
 CHAPTER 91
 
On the Verge of Despair
 
Meanwhile, the flowers began to suffer from dehydration. Prince was a large flower and his thirst was stronger. In addition, due to loss of blood he needed to drink more than usual. Being aware of that, one day the flowers refused to accept the water from Fairy in favor for Prince.
Prince was surprised to see Fairy so early in the morning. He refused to accept Fairy’s excuses and demanded the truth. She had to admit that the flowers wanted him to use the water as much as he needed, and after that, they would share the remainder.
“No!” denied Prince. “As before, I will have as much as each of my flowers and have it the last.” He said it softly and quietly, but Fairy knew that this softness was harder than a rock. She looked at his cracked lips, nodded meekly and went out. Prince appeared dangerously weak.
Several more days passed. The situation in the valley was dire. Some flowers had already gone. If there would be no rain in a day or two the catastrophe would be irreparable. The next day Fairy delivered to the flowers the last water in the valley. Every flower knew it. Each refused to take the offered drop yielding it to their Prince. Fairy grinned sadly. That task was easier said than done. Wasting no time, she hovered above the flowers dropping water inside the petals and moving further. After the last flower was quenched, Fairy hurried to Prince.
She had been making every effort, keeping each drop reasonably small. Yet, when she approached Prince, she startled in fear: the water was gone; there was not a drop anymore. An acute despair stabbed her heart. She came close to Prince, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. Prince kept his head up, but his eyes were closed and some paled petals hung down listlessly.
“Prince,” called Fairy. There was no answer. “Prince, darling, it is I, your Fairy. Say something, my heart. Look at me. Listen to me, my love. A new Fairy is talking to you. The other fairy, egotistic and selfish, is no more. Here I am, to show that I am worthy of your love. Hear me, my beloved. You cannot go away, because my life without you is senseless.
“My former independence was merely a sick pride. Now my freedom is everlasting bond of our hearts. My happiness is your need of me. My love is to live for you, live with you, live in the name of you. Look, my noble heart, Playful-Fluffy is coming. I can see her already.”
 
 CHAPTER 92
 
The Last Drop
 
Soaring in the stale air, Fairy caressed Prince’s petals with her cool palms. His eyelids trembled. He opened his eyes,
“Did I fall asleep?” asked Prince, somewhat embarrassed. “I saw myself plummeting into a horrible darkness. I thought I was dying. It was so scary to die before seeing you. There is so much I wanted to tell you. Nothing has been accomplished. I have no regret, Fairy. My short life was blessed immensely by my love for you, my unforgettable goddess. How generously I was rewarded by meeting you, my endless love. I am slipping away. You cannot stop it. Thank you, my beloved that you exist. Forgive me all the unfair words I’ve ever said. Thank you, for saving the Valley. Thank you for being so kind to me. Farewell, my…” His head fell lifelessly to his chest.
“No, Prince, no!” exclaimed Fairy, looking helplessly for any means around. She glanced above: Playful-Fluffy was so close. “You cannot depart me, Prince. It is unfair. I have gone such a long way to my love. My love gives me the right for a miracle. O God, give me the strength to prove it!”
Fairy took his head into the flowers of her palms: a harsh rustle of dried petals was the only answer. Fairy moaned, she leaned over and kissed Prince on his lips. A hot wave of love rolled through her body, melting her icy heart. Fairy turned into a crystal dewdrop and plummeted into the Prince’s heart. His body startled. Prince opened his eyes; and at that very instant the first drops of the so long awaited rain fell upon the Prince’s face.
“Oh, how bittersweet was the first raindrop, which brought me back to life!” exclaimed Prince. “Fairy! My divine Fairy of Dew, where are you? We need to talk. I have to tell you how stupid I was not to trust my heart. Flowers, what is going on? Where is Fairy? Why doesn’t she come to share our joy? Flowers, why are you silent? My loyal flowers, why don’t you rejoice? Tell Fairy that a rain has come…  Tell her that tomorrow we will hold a ball. Tell her that I love her and I want to ask her to be my wife. Oh, how reviving was the first raindrop!”
There was not a sound around. Prince was looking at the flowers in bewilderment. The leaves and petals of the flowers were wet. From rain? It took Prince time to realize that tears have no words.
 
 CHAPTER 93
 
The Farewell
 
After Prince learned the truth, to the end of his days he was unable to fall in love with anyone. He could not betray the memory of his beloved, whose newly born soul he had failed to understand.
His Majesty, The Chief Treasurer of the Fairy Tales tried to console him, reminding him that there would be another Fairy of Dew, who might be even more beautiful, and perhaps kinder.
“No,” responded Prince, “it is all in vain. If you love, your beloved cannot be worse or better, she is simply the one.”
And the Chief Treasurer of the Fairy Tales agreed to that. “In that case,” said he, “with your permission, I will use the story to heal a sick girl; and after that her father will hand the tale to the world. So each time a reader, having opened the book, would bring to life you, Fairy, and all the dwellers of our country, the Land Of Fairy Tales.”
 
 CHAPTER 94
 
GOODBYE
 
That’s it, my noble reader. Don’t be aggrieved by the sad end of this story… Excuse me? What is your question? Oh, I see. What do I want to say with the story? You must answer the question yourself. If I have been able to touch your heart then my main goal has been achieved. The rest I leave to your parents, your teachers, and to your generous soul, of course.
It does not matter how old you are now. I am talking to your heart. Time will come for you to build your own family. Remember, my sincere friend, that beauty is not Love. It is true Love that brings beauty into life and makes you and your beloved the most beautiful and necessary people in all the world.
Do not miss your Love. Prepare yourself. Fill up your imagination with the knowledge and art endowed to you by the generations past.
He and She united by Love create a universe of new life. They need no one else. But the world needs them because their unity is the sole seed of future generations. The light and warmth radiated by them is the hope of the present and a guiding star of the future.
When you become an adult, I invite you, my patient listener, to go to the Enchanted Forest to discover your Glade of Tales to share some of its treasures with your children.
And for now, goodbye, my dear.

THE END