The King's Beloved

The morning's sunlight shed it's light to Rania's eyes, forcing her to wake up. Her eyes were pinkish and sullen from crying all night. She struggled getting up as she remembered that today will be the day of the sprite's departure. They could no longer delay and needed to go back as soon as possible.

The elder sprites had been trying to get in touch with the missing sprites since their disappearance but they were scared of the dragon and couldn't get any nearer. Fortunately for them, the sprites were left alone yesterday since Rania, Elliot, Ducis and Luna were practicing in the Forbidden Forest. Thus, they used this chance to sneak out and meet with the missing sprites. When the sprites saw the elder sprites, they were all shocked. They got reprimanded as well for foolishly leaving and following a human and not even leaving a word to them. The elder sprites decided to drag them back home but they begged them to at least give them the night to bid their farewell. Unable to refuse such cute faces, the elder sprites agreed with them in the condition that they have to make sure to come back the following day.

And so, the following day came. Rania tried her best to smile and be jolly in front of them since she didn't want to see their crying faces anymore. The sprites bid their goodbyes to Elliot and Ducis as well. With sad faces, they flew back to the Forbidden Forest and unto the place they came from.

As soon as the sprites left, Rania's face turned sullen again. Elliot didn't know how to comfort a sad person so he just watched her and followed her around. Alternating sighs could be heard from the Forbidden Chamber for the whole morning. Ducis got irritated from it and decided to break the silence.

"Argh! I can't take this anymore!" he exclaimed while holding his head with both of his hands. Then, he transformed himself into a dragon and hurriedly fled outside the chamber. He wandered around the whole Forbidden Forest as he tried to calm himself down.

"Foolish midgets, getting into my nerves. All they know is how to make trouble!" Ducis thought to himself. Then, as if a brilliant idea came across his mind, his eyes widened and his mouth curved into an evil grin. He halted his flight, turned around and flew towards the sprites' hideout.

Whoooosh! Whooooosh! Whooooosh!

His gigantic wings blew hard on the surrounding trees, plants, and grasses. Some of the sprites even tumbled and slipped away, unable to keep their positions. He was now in the "Sprites' Colony", located deep in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. It was the dwelling place of the forest sprites within the Forbidden Forest. The colony was like a miniature garden, with flower petals and leaves as houses.

Upon seeing him, all the sprites were horrified and hid behind the leaves of the plants nearby. With trembling knees, one of the elder sprites courageously confronted him.

"W-w-what can we h-help you with, O' mighty d-dragon?"

Ducis didn't pay attention to the elder sprite who was trying to talk to him. Instead, his golden eyes surveyed his surroundings, looking for any familiar tiny face he could see. After a few minutes, he spotted a few - unfortunately, he didn't know their names so he held back his voice from calling them. For what should he even call them? MIdget? Everyone would probably look back at him if he used that since all of them were tiny.

Ducis snorted. The elder sprite thought he somehow angered him and immediately fled back and hid by the leaves.

"Where is that midget? Why can't I see her?" Ducis thought to himself.

At last, Luna showed up from the crowd, carrying a tiny basket of seeds. Her cute face was sulking and pouting. She fluttered waywardly towards the pack of baskets that could be seen on the ground.

As soon as Ducis saw Luna, he extended his hands to grab her.

"Kyaaaaaa!" Luna screamed loudly. She quickly flew away from the claws she saw. "Why is there a dragon here?!" Tears fell from her eyes.

"Foolish midget! You dare run away from me?" Ducis shouted and his roar echoed through the whole forest.

Luna stopped trembling when she recognized that overbearing voice. She peaked from the tree she was hiding, and saw that the dragon was none other than Ducis himself.

"What is this stupid dragon doing here?" Luna thought to herself.

The scared elder sprite approached Luna. "Luna, i-it seems that the dragon needs something from you. Don't anger him any further, please".

And so, Luna came out and confronted Ducis. Her face was fuming from anger.

"Youuuuu - stupid dragon!" she yelled at him. The other sprites were horrified after hearing what she just said to the magnificent dragon. It was common knowledge to any creature that a dragon must never be angered.

Ducis' eyes lit in annoyance. "You tiny midget dare insult me, a mighty dragon?"

Luna was startled a bit but she's used to Ducis by now so she knew better than to be afraid of him. "You're the one who started it! Just popping out in here and scaring everyone away!"

"Ughhh," Ducis stared down at her. "Is it my fault that they're a bunch of cowards?"

"What did you just say? Take that back right now! They're not cowards!"

Ducis rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I'm not in the mood to argue".

He then lifted his clawed hands and grabbed Luna. The other sprites were startled but couldn't do anything. Ducis immediately flew out of the Sprites' Colony after he got Luna.

"What do you think you're doing, stupid dragon? I need to go back and help them!" Luna struggled to escape from his hands. She kept kicking and punching it, but every blow was nothing but a tickle from Ducis' enormous hands.

"Who says you need to go back? They can handle it on their own".

"But I'm a forest sprite! I can't just abandon my duties".

"What nonsense are you saying?'

"If anyone is saying nonsense, it's gotta be you!"

"Pfft! You? A forest sprite? Since when did you become one?"

Luna was dumbfounded.

"W-what? I-I'm not a forest sprite?" she couldn't believe the ridiculous thing Ducis was saying.

"Don't tell me you never knew?" Ducis finally released her from his hands and stopped flying. He transformed himself back to a human and hovered in the air. Then, he stared at the tiny Luna who looked so confused.

"Knew what?"

Ducis raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "So that's why you never transformed?"

"HUUHHH?! Spit it out already!"

"You were never a sprite ... You're a fairy!"