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"Mommy! Mommy! Again! Again!" Furina squealed as she swung her stuffed frog toy around.
"Sweetheart, how about we try a different story?" Focalors sighed.
"No!" Furina stomped her feet and crossed her arms. "Come on, mommy," she rounded her eyes and pouted. "Neuvi and I love that story," she pulled the little boy beside her.
"Y—yes, your highness. If you won't mind, of course," Neuvilette whispered, looking at his feet.
Focalors sighed, and she tilted her head. "Alright, if Neuvi and my little majesty like it," the queen grabbed a red and pink storybook out of the bookcase.
Furina's smile tested the limits of her cheeks.
"Who am I to disobey?" Focalors sat down and opened the storybook.
Furina's hand tightly squeezed Neuvilette's hand; her other hand had a firm grip on her stuffed toy.
"Once upon a time. There was a beautiful princess who had a terrible curse."
Furina gasped, making Focalors stifle a laugh.
"The princess' soul traveled into a different being as soon as the sun disappeared from the sky. One day, she was a dashing knight. But on another day, she would be a tree."
Furina put both of her hands over her mouth as she giggled. Neuvillette's face held a small smile.
"But one day, her soul was transported into a rat. That's when she decided that enough was enough. She had to put a stop to the curse, no matter the cost. And so, she went to the all-forgiving and all-knowing tree."
'Oh great messenger of miracles and stars. The all-powerful tree of the heavens and earth. Please grant me the miracle of being my true self for a lifetime,' the princess prayed"
'My dear, princess. You need not fret, for a miracle is about to cross your path. However, you must make room for it,' the princess felt the tree's voice under her feet.
'You must wait 21 days and 21 nights for a shimmering pink star. You shall wish on the pink star before searching for a red and pink frog. When you find it, you must kiss it. You must do all of this before the sun greets the sky,' the tree commanded."
"The princess nodded before going back to her castle. She waited 21 days and 21 nights for a pink star. She wished for her true self, and she found the rare frog. She kissed it, and the frog transformed into an ethereal prince."
"And she lived happily ever after as a princess with her prince at her side. The end," Focalors closed the book.
"Yay! Again!" Furina put her hands up and jumped.
Focalors groaned. "Sweetheart," she held her daughter's hand. "It's time for bed," she gently turned Furina's body to face the door.
They walked out of the story room, leaving Neuvilette in the dark.
"Mommy?"
"We are not listening to that story again, sweetheart."
"No! It's not about that, mommy."
"Then, what is it, sweetie?"
"Can Neuvilette sleep beside me tonight?"
Focalors footsteps stilled.
"Honey…"
"Please," Furina turned to face her mother. She pouted and her eyes rounded. "Just for tonight, please," she held her hands in a praying position.
"You know that can't happen."
"But—"
"Go to bed, Furina."
"Ok, mommy," Furina quietly obeyed.
Focalors could hear Furina's soft sobs when she closed her daughter's bedroom door. The queen stayed in front of the door, her back and her hands placed on it.
Neuvilette's footsteps slowed as he reached Furina's bedroom door. The queen gave him a soft smile before leading him to the servants' quarters.
"Neuvi! Neuvi!" Furina's face sustained little cuts as she ran through the garden, tugging on her bodyguard's arm.
"Slow down, Furina." Neuvilette's mouth was getting stretched by sharp leaves and minuscule fruits. His plea was barely audible to himself.
Neuvilette grunted and coughed when they were finally out of the leaves and fruits' grasp. "Fu—Furina, are you okay?" He wheezed.
She didn't even look at him.
"Look! Look! A rose star!" Furina pointed at a shimmering pink-tinted star. "Isn't it beautiful?" The last word was but a whisper.
"Yeah, she is," Neuvilette looked at Furina, her eyes sparkled more than any star could ever dream of.
Suddenly, Furina closed her eyes, and she gathered all her breath in her cheeks. Neuvilette simply shook his head, and he looked up at the sky before he closed his eyes too.
The soft crunches of the footsteps of small nocturnal creatures echoed throughout the garden. The gentle squawks of the birds harmonized with those of the other creatures.
"Did you make a wish, Neuvi?" Furina deeply exhaled before looking at her friend. "Oh," she gasped, Neuvilette was not finished wishing it seemed.
Furina wistfully surveyed their surroundings as she waited for Neuvillette to open his eyes.
Ribbit
Ribbit
Ribbit
Air was knocked out of Furina; she put a hand over her mouth. Her eyes landed on a red and pink frog.
Furina's legs were in a running stance, and she was about to lunge when a voice stopped her.
"Furina?" The princess rapidly blinked before she looked back at her bodyguard.
"Yes, Neuvi?" Furina's stance softened.
Neuvilette opened his mouth, but his tears were faster than his words. He looked down as his voice quivered, his body trembling.
"What's wrong?" Furina whispered before she held his hand. "Don't worry, you can tell me," one of the princess' hands were rubbing the tears under her bodyguard's right lashline. Her other hand, cupped his cheek.
The bodyguard leaned into the princess's touch. The soft sounds of nature enveloped the space around them once again.
"I love you," Furina's hand stilled.
"I love you, Furina," Neuvillette's voice shook like there was an earthquake in his throat.
Furina's breathing quickened.
"Listen, I know that this can't be, but I can't stop my heart from feeling this way. Trust me—" Furina's lips closed Neuvilette's mouth.
Furina and Neuvillette's mouths danced a delicate but trusting number; it was sensitive but it was slow and steady.
"The king doesn't have to know," Furina said when she pulled away. "Nobody has to know," she put her forehead against Neuvilette as she held his hands once again.
A tall grass wall hid the queen's mouth, and sweeping hanging vines concealed her forehead. She knew the story all too well.
Focalors tightly smiled before she sighed. Doomed love stories were her favorite plays, but she never wanted Furina and Neuvillette to be the stars of those stories.