Chapter 4
1091 Words
Diamond's POV
I used to imagine everyone's reaction when they saw my fairy form for the first time, but I never foresaw transforming in the middle of the forest without anyone seeing me.
"I look… enchanting," I whispered, watching my reflection in the water.
My once-ordinary features are now bathed in a radiant golden glow. My gown shimmers with intricate golden embroidery that catches and reflects the light around me. My white hair shines with delicate golden leaves and flowers intertwined. My blue eyes sparkle like precious gems, emitting a warm and inviting glow. As I spread my wings, they unfold elegantly, displaying a dazzling expanse of golden feathers. The wings seem to emit a soft, ethereal light.
I giggled as I moved, my steps leaving behind faint golden trails that shimmered in the air and gradually faded away like stardust. I looked up at the sky and flew; I'd never felt so free in my entire life. This feeling is magical and life-changing.
I wish Mom and Dusk could see me.
I feel a pang of guilt in my chest. I've said things that I didn't mean to. This is what happens when we let our emotions rule over us.
"A-ahh!" I experienced a surge of panic as I tumbled onto the grass.
I pouted.
I'm a fairy who underwent an unexpected transformation. Despite being able to fly, I'm still adapting to this newfound ability, and I can't help but laugh at myself.
"Having trouble flying?"
I looked up and saw a man. He's wearing a cloak and a black mask that covers his face, except for his eyes.
"Who are you?" I stood up, but my eyes widened. "Are you a thief?"
The man chuckled in a way that I found oddly intriguing.
Wait, did I consider him sexy? No, that's not right.
"Maybe..."
I gulped, taken aback by the intensity of his stare. He gazed at my fairy form with awe in his golden eyes, causing a wave of shyness to wash over me. I had never anticipated that a stranger would be the first to witness me in my fairy form.
"Don't be shy; you look gorgeous," he assured me.
I cleared my throat and stammered.
"T-thanks. I never imagined that a thief would be the first to witness me in my fairy form."
I could sense his smirk. "So innocent. Did you realize how effortlessly I can kidnap you, Princess?"
"Y-you are planning to kidnap me?"
"Maybe I do," said the stranger. My heart was racing because he was standing too close. "But I won't… at least not for now."
"Do you also believe that I'm weak?"
Perhaps everyone can perceive how fragile I am; Mom is right. They will crush me and devour me alive once they uncover what I am.
"I'm not your mother, Princess."
I gasped. "Y-you heard us."
I gazed at his golden eyes with fear. Who is he? Is he associated with Cassius and Ivana? Numerous questions swirl in my mind at the moment, yet I don't perceive any threat from this stranger. It's odd.
"Pain," he whispers.
"Huh?"
"You're in pain. I can see it in your eyes. You're not pretending."
"Of course. Why would I fake my pain?"
"Everyone in my life seems to be skilled at feigning their emotions."
"But why would they engage in such behavior?"
"To manipulate one another."
"I sense that you're also carrying a lot of pain," I expressed, genuinely concerned for the stranger.
He responded with a sarcastic laugh, saying, "I don't experience emotions, love."
"You're a liar; everyone can feel pain, happiness, sadness, and love. You can't simply reject your own emotions; that's crazy."
"What's good about feeling them anyway?"
"I still want to experience more emotions rather than live like a ghost. I want to laugh until I cry, feel pain because it can help me grow, and, lastly, love selflessly." It may sound stupid, but that's how I feel. I want to embrace everything that life offers me. That's the point of living. "Do you want to hear a secret?"
I know this might seem concerning, but I have this urge to help him feel better.
He glared at me with narrowed eyes. "I'm a stranger, yet you want to trust me with your secret?"
I offered him a genuine smile. "I know you won't cause me any harm. I can feel it in my heart."
"Tsk, too trusting. How do you know that I will not use it against you?" He leaned against the tree while crossing his arms.
"My heart never fails," I answered confidently. "Whether or not you want to hear it, I'll still say it."
Despite his mask, I can still see him smiling. This night feels strange—why do I have the urge to approach this man? Why do I desire to witness his smile?
"Your heart never fails, huh?"
I remained silent, fixating on my own hands. Upon transforming into my fairy form, I lose my gloves. This explains why I'm driven to touch him… to make contact with this stranger and experience his warmth.
"Did you know that I've never touched anyone without wearing gloves?" I admitted. "It's because everything I touch tends to wither away. At times, I ponder what it would be like to grasp someone else's hand, to feel their warmth against my own."
I felt a sudden stillness as his touch met my skin. His hand gently cradled my face, and in that shared gaze, it was as though our eyes were windows to each other's very souls.
His touch is incredibly warm, evoking butterflies in my stomach.
"So perfect, you make me want to capture you and place you in a jar, my little fairy," he uttered. "How can you possess flaws, yet still be so perfect?"
"A-are you not afraid of me?" I stammered.
"Would you like to learn a secret too?" he inquired, his voice husky and captivating.
I nodded, but the next words he said brought fear upon me.
"I came to learn your secrets," he whispered, "but instead, I want to take you away. I'll provide you with a new cage where no one else can see you except me – my very own fairy."
"Y-you..."
"We will meet again, fairy."
"Wait," I tried to stop him, but he vanished into thin air.
The stranger has already left, but I can still feel my heart beating so fast. I'm not sure if it's because of fear or if it's because of his touch.
- Writer
