A Failed Fairytale - Fiction and Haiku Combined

A castle’s princess
Gifted with beauty and gold
I have all but love.

I am surrounded with beauty and bounty. Sleeping in sheets of silk and gold, dressed in exquisite creations and treated with gentleness. I am well-pampered, soft spoken to and entitled. I love how everything is just within my grasp. All things, I can own with just one call. However, something is still lacking. Yes, I have everything but something within me is screaming happiness. I feel so incomplete.

I have witnessed how Aria’s cheeks turns red whenever she sees our head palace guard. Her face shines beautifully as inner happiness glows within her. I want that kind of bliss. Exciting, genuine and priceless.

The King has forced me to mingle with a lot of princes. All so eloquent, mighty and charming. However, no one was able to lit the dimness within me. No one seemed to stir an enchanting emotion that excites me. No one.

Man, not a lord
Common yet in him, I’m lured.
This man made me whole.

I stepped down from the royal carriage, warmly welcomed by the townspeople waving flags and banners. I decided to meet my people and was overwhelmed with their gladness. I do not often do this but the castle’s been so silent and staying there each day adds boredom and sadness. Why do I feel so fragmented? I have everything a woman could ask for; jewelries, golds and dresses.

I walked slowly, waving to the children who are all delighted to see me. Then, at the garden, an unfamiliar figure caught my attention. Masculine, a little sweaty but still looks so enticing. I accidentally met the windows of his soul and I was captivated by the unfamiliarity it brings. His presence brought me to an unfamiliar dimension, one with no silver and gold but allows me to smell the forest and freshly tilled soil. Simple. Raw. Alive.

The way this swain looks at me makes me feel conscious. I want to impress him and I want to see more of his beautiful smirk. A little girl who called him brother broke the trance which the both of us are trapped into. The way his caring and brotherly eyes looked at his little sister, melted my heart. This guy truly has something.

His voice reached my soul.
Simple talks, I'm in deep hole.
Alas, love has come!

The unfamiliar feeling brought by him is both disturbing and alluring. It has been days and I can't seem to forget his manly face. His smirk, his tearing look and even the wonders brought by his presence; I want them all.

I was longing for his smell. So, I decided to go into the forest and chose to spend my afternoon by the river. The clearness of the water and the tranquility it brings allows me to understand what is happening. Is this love I am feeling? I see his smirk in every smush of rock and water. Even the girl whose reflection I am staring is different. Her eyes are glowing, her soul longing.

The sound of snapping twigs brough me to reality. No, not really. He is here. Am I just seeing things? He is here with bows and arrow; as startled as I was. Part of me wants to wake up from this awkward imagination but there is also a part of me that wants to stay. I want to stay in this moment, with eyes locked at him.

I am sorry for interrupting your solitude, Your Highness. I was just hunting food to offer to the King.

You are a hunter.

I tried to compose myself.

My father is, Your Highness. He is not available today.

I saw a tinge of hurt in his face but he was quick to hide it.

He stayed for a couple of hours which led to deep discussions on just about anything. He talks proudly of his little sister Patrice and how he juggles work at the town's bake shop and sometimes in the flower shop. He works for every dime to spend for his family's needs.

I asked him not to treat me as a member of the royal family as we are in the middle of the forest. I ordered him to just be himself, unfiltered and genuine. He was slightly caught offguard but I would do it again to see the smirk that comes after his apalled expression.

I dreamed of the forest that night. I dreamed of him. But it is a dream I always wanted to have. It makes me get through the cold night knowing that I would feel the warmth of his presence the next day. I have never been this excited to face new days.

Kiss under the moon
Finally, I have found home.
Oh, he complete me.

We agreed to meet by the palace garden. Under the enchanting moon he held my hand and kissed my forehead. He kissed my lips in the silence of the night, I could only hear my heart pounding. It wasn't like of a fairytale where a kiss mean flowers abloom and dwarves singing. This moment, we only have the moon and the twinkling fireflies witnessing this one great story. I felt contentment. I am now whole. I have found the other half of me.

I hummed a song of love with flushed cheeks the next morning. The King intently examined me. He took a deep breath but said nothing. I just smiled at him while my mind is flying to my dear hunter, my dream. I giggled. I gasped realizing my father is in front of me. He looked at me again while my mother quickly took his attention by pressing her hand to him.

Afternoon came and I dashed off towards the fountain where he and I agreed to meet. I fixed my crown and hair to make sure I look stunning in his eyes. I waited for a couple of minutes and was so quick to turn my head when I heard someone approaching my direction. I prepared myself to greet him with my smile but everything failed when I saw it wasn't him. It was one of the guards handing me a letter.

Your Highness, I wish you happiness. I am afraid I can't see you anymore. You and I have different paths to take.

I tried reading the scribbled words in front of me. Maybe I misread it. Maybe it was not from him. Maybe...maybe, maybe. I crumbled the letter in my hand as hot and angry tears flow from my eyes. Was everything a lie? Was the kiss fake? How dare him wish for my happiness when he took it with him when he decided to leave? How dare him leave me without telling me why or how? Don't I deserve a proper explanation? No. I don't want this to be our ending. I want more of us; more of him. I want him.

Ruggedly handsome
He took me to paradise.
Only to break me

I have said yes to my prince. My eyes are fixed on the diamond ring wrapped around my finger. I turned my head to my husband's direction. He looked at me too and he smiled.

Always the stunning one, my lady. You are now the Duchess of Belgravia of England. Welcome home.

He kissed my hand with longing eyes. I have married a stranger. I have given myself to this man but my heart is with my hunter. Tears fall down my cheeks as I try to suffocate the hurt feelings inside me. I will no longer be whole again. I have all the riches in the world but nothing can ever complete me. I still taste his lips and I still yearn for his forest-like smell. I still dream about him. I have to constantly remind myself that he left me and that I should learn to hate him for abandoning me.

My questions will never be answered because he is the only answer I have wanted. I will now live the life he chose for me and not the one I chose for myself. I have a kingdom to rule. My pains and wonders are for my heart to keep and endure. I am a princess and he left me because inspite of my beauty and riches, I am still flawed. I am still not enough.

Emotional void
Both you filled and took from me
Now, I am more lost.

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This is written in collaboration with @memeitbaby. If you want to read the point of view of the guy in the story, kindly go to his page.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your day!