The sun rose slowly. The birds began chirping and the butterflies awoke, their wings fluttering around the trees and flowers. Odessa then woke up, her eyes still very sleepy. She then stretched out her delicate wings and yawned softly. The wobbily fluttered out to the balcony…and spotted Hendrick playing his violin.
His back was turned. She could see that had a gentle soul. But how was she going to say goodbye to him? She couldn’t bear to leave him but she knew she had to. She had been gone for a day. Her subjects had been worried about her.
She rose on pointe and flitted across the floor, waving her arms up and down like a beautiful swan. Hendrick’s ears perked up at the sound of her movement. He turned his head and saw her, his eyes widening. She was like tiny ballerina. He stopped his music and welcomed her with open arms.
Odessa then floated down like an angel who had come to comfort him. Hendrick reached out his long arms and took her hands, gently pulling her towards him. She landed softly in his arms and he held her close, petting her head on his chest.
“My prince…” said Odessa, burying her face among the warm skin of her one and only prince.
Hendrick lifted her head, his finger and thumb on her chin. He leaned down and gently kissed her, his lips grasping hers softly. But this was a sad kiss. He knew she had to go. He did say to stay with her for the night. Hendrick pulled away, catching his breath. Odessa’s wings were beating softly as he ran his fingertips across her rosy cheeks.
“What is your name, my beauty…?” he asked softly.
“Oh…” Odessa whimpered, “My name…I am…Odessa…”
“Odessa…oh!” Hendrick exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her, embracing her tightly, “Odessa! What lovely charm!”
He pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. He then pecked it, his lips making a small smooch. Odessa’s wings drooped. The sun rose higher and higher. By then, it was time for her to leave her prince behind and return to her kingdom. Hendrick’s heart broke. He then pulled her to his arms, rocking her back and forth.
“I don’t want you to leave…” he said.
“But I must,” said Odessa, pulling away, “I must go home. My subjects would go mad if I stay longer. I have a kingdom.”
Hendrick knelt down and held both of her hands, his eyes filled with plea.
“Please…”
“I…I’m sorry…” Odessa whimpered.
It was a hard time, saying goodbye. Their eyes filled with tears and they embraced each other tightly. It was clear they didn’t want to be apart. Hendrick pecked her cheek and pulled away.
“I understand now…” he said, “You have to go…I must go too. I just…don’t want to let you go…”
“Please, fret not, sweet lord,” Odessa sobbed, “For I shall return in your arms.”
The young prince’s ears perked up. She was coming back! He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he could finally breathe again.
“You promise…?”
“Yes, my liege,” said Odessa, “I’ll return.”
But their hearts broke as Odessa began to float away. Hendrick could feel her small body and hands drifting away from him. Hendrick’s eyes watered more. So did Odessa’s.
“A thousand times good day…” whimpered Hendrick.
“A thousand times…good morrow…” sobbed Odessa.
She then flew away, her wings fluttering sadly. Parting was such sweet sorrow for these two lovers. But it was safe to say that at this moment…it was for the best. Hendrick watched until she was out of sight. He would have called out to her, but it was too late. His lonely heart returned and he was lovesick all over again.
Odessa looked back at Hendrick’s castle; she still saw his figure standing at the balcony.
The prince’s heart was breaking even more, but he tried to stay strong. She had promised to return to him very soon. Still, he was hurting from their dearly departure. Once he really knew he was gone, he turned away and he softly burst into tears.
.
.
.
It was nearly dark, at the hour of six. Odessa had finally returned to her little kingdom. She was greeted by all of her subjects, who were worried sick about her. But as the moon rises, she lands on a bed of soft red and pink roses, her face covered in the petals.
“My prince…” she cried, her voice muffled from the soft petals.
The other fairies then fluttered closer towards their young queen. They could see her wings drooping further and further. Their voices overlapped with whispers and silent chatter. Their faces were filled with worry. They tried to comfort her, but she didn’t seem to hear them. She laid there, sobbing, her wings drooping every second.
The fairies sit around her, gently petting her wings.
“Don’t be sad, my queen.”
“Please don’t cry.”
“You shouldn’t be in pain.”
Their soft voices only make it worse. Odessa cried and cried. Her heart was broken for Hendrick. She wanted him in her arms so much. Why did she have to leave him? Why couldn’t she just stay with him when she really had to return to her kingdom?
The fairies were worried, their hearts breaking for their queen. They can tell she is deeply hurt.
Odessa eventually yawned and slowly slipped into sleep. The fairies knew she needed rest. They then fluttered up to their tree homes as the night grew in the sky. Odessa woke up and found herself all alone. The fairies were gone. She sat up slowly, looking around her beautiful glade. Her heart ached for Hendrick.
I wish he was here, she thought.
She lifted herself up and dances a slow and delicate ballet, her feet pointed and her arms billowing like her wings. Although it was beautiful, her dance was about Prince Hendrick. Her young heart was filled with love and longing, but she knew she couldn’t be with him, since she was a fairy. She pirouetted once, then twice, her gown circling around her like a cloud. She was like a tragic heroine, a beautiful princess who had lost her prince. She then collapsed to her bed of roses and cried herself to sleep.
By then, it was dawn. She then woke up. She wanted so much to see Hendrick again. But she knew she couldn’t. She had duties to attend to and her subjects would worry to death. But she wanted someone to hold her and comfort her. She had been depressed for so long and no one was going to take that away from her. And so, she fluttered her wings and she quietly flew away, back to Hendrick’s palace, little did she know that a few other fairies would follow her.
Thus, as she fluttered around the prince’s garden, she found a beautiful white rose and climbed inside it, closing up the petals around her. She then burst into tears.
“All I ever wanted was love and affection,” she wailed sadly, “But no one is ever there for me! And I am forced to be all alone!”
Hendrick was asleep in his warm bed, when he heard the sound of sad squeaks from a delicate creature. He got out of bed and looked out his window which foresaw his beautiful garden. Odessa noticed his head peeking from the window and quickly darted away, up a hollow of a yellow blossom tree.
Hendrick then jogged outside his garden. The evening air was cool and calm; not a cloud in sight. He walked along the pathways and enjoyed the peace if the night and felt a soft wave in his heart. Suddenly, he felt sad. He felt sorrow for two people now. First, his servant and good friend, Sampson, and now his beautiful princess, Odessa the little fairy. He then sat down on a bench and buried his face in his hands with a sigh. Seconds after, he looked up at the sky. The moon was a bright crescent and the stars were all in different positions than the previous nights.
He heard the sound of soft squeaks and cries. In the corner of his eye, he saw a bright glow coming from the yellow blossom tree. He could see it clearly behind the leaves of the tree’s hollow. As he walked toward it, he felt this warmth and fuzzy feeling, as though someone was already there. He pulled away the leaves…and saw Odessa sitting there, her wings drooping, and her eyes so full of tears.
His heart broke for the tiny fairy. It was clear she had missed him so much. But at the same time, he was relieved that she was back in his garden. To him, it was like seeing an old friend again. He reached out his hand and gently petted her wing.
Frightened, Odessa flitted up to a higher branch. She then burst into tears. But she heard the gently sound of her prince, calling out to her.
“Please, don’t be afraid,” he sang, “It is I, your friend, Hendrick. I know we have no seen each other for so long, but I want you to know that I never mean any creature any harm!”
With a broken heart, she flew towards her lover and threw herself in his arms. She cried and cried, her sobs saddening her prince. Hendrick stroked her wings, his touch like a mother’s caress. They then shared a small kiss. Going once…going twice…and then, they pulled away.
“How have the hours racked and tortured me since I had been millions of wretched miles away!” Odessa cried, “My heart cannot beat without you!”
“I had been better,” Hendrick responded, “I owe you a delicate love of mine.”
“Fie! How dare I, Odessa, leave you when you are my dear lord? My heart is blind. It cannot see who the person I love is. But once I am made with someone else, then it forms its eyes. The love looks with the heart, not with the mind, and therefore…Cupid is blind. For what purpose have I come here? My chest satisfies any man.”
“But you shan’t leave me unsatisfied!” Hendrick exclaimed, “Your body is never important to man. It is with worldly love and care. I am never cullionly. If I ever was, then I plead with insanity. I would have gone mad.”
Odessa was quiet. She turned away. Her tears had stopped, but she was still sad.
“Please, not wend,” Hendrick whimpered, “My heart breaks if you are not here. Oh, no, you shan’t! I’d die a thousand deaths to be with you. Please…please!”
Odessa watched as he knelt down, her hand in his. But she still didn’t say a word. Hendrick stood up and cupped her cheeks in his hands, softly rubbing them with his delicate fingers.
“Speak, O angel…” he whispered.
Odessa looked into Hendrick’s beautiful ocean eyes. It was clear he was desperate for her. But they both knew it was impossible for them to be together, let alone love each other. And so, she finally spoke.
“My lord…” she said, “If you were to die a thousand deaths…then that means I would perish along with you. You see, my kind has fragility in their nature. With no one to love or accompany…then their lives are at stake. It is important that I see you now.”
“O, fie!” Hendrick exclaimed, “How have I not heard of this? ‘Tis horrific! How dare your own kind experience such. Unfair!”
“Indeed. ‘Tis why I had been hence. I did not want to live my unholy and egregious life as a delicate creature. No…therefore pardon me…I am only as angered like the burning fires of Hell, I am.”
“Oh, my love,” Hendrick pleaded, “Please…don’t ever put your mind that way. If your are hence, then you plead so much insane thoughts. As a prince, heir to the crown, I shall not have my princess so unsatisfied. If to your liking, I shall swear by the moon.”
“Nay!” Odessa exclaimed, “Never swear by the moon. Think of a moon as a planet and not a person. Yes…it would. A monthly change in her shining circled orb. From a cresent to a ball of light, the moon is divine and rich.”
“Then…what shall I swear by…?”
“Never swear, you gentle lord. However…if you must… then swear by your soul. By God Himself, He shall bring joy to the both of us. He will watch over us. And He loves us all, but punishes evil. And although I adore you…I also… confess my tender care for you.”
Hendrick then pulled her to his arms and he kissed her rosy mouth, their lips clicking like magnets and locks as they gave off each smooch. Odessa gasped as his arms held her waist tightly. It was how much he showed his love for her.
They then pulled away.
“My lord,” Odessa said, “I have overstayed your welcome. I must go now…”
“But when shall we meet again? Couldn’t you stay?”
“The moon is high. But what more would you want tonight?”
“For purpose…to share an evening dance. Oh, a dance. Please, my princess, just one dance. I promise…my feet aren’t as fast as yours.”
“I pardon my lord…but I say not. ‘Tis getting late…very late. If I don’t return, my subjects would roar like violent thunder. Sweet, good night, my Hendrick. Our love…’tis like a small infant bud. One that would blossom a beauteous flower when next we meet.”
Odessa cupped Hendrick’s cheeks…and kissed him one last time. She pulled away and stroked his forehead.
“Good night, good night. Repose and rest, my dear lord…for God Himself shall protect you whilst in slumber. Good night…good night.”
She then prepared herself to fly away.
“Wait!” Hendrick called out, “If you leave…my heart will shatter.”
“Then I shall return, sweet gent,” Odessa smiled, “But alas…have we met this silent eve for too long.”
“I pronounce…I bid you adeiu. But parting is such tragic sorrow…”
“Goodbye, my lord…”
And then…she flew away. Hendrick watched her long white wings flutter away like a moth in the evening. However, he was right. His heart broke without her presence. But he was not the only one.