Fairy tales for young and old ~ English version

Bellona

 Once upon a time, in the verdant kingdom of Verdure, there lived a young prince named Laurel. He was a kind-hearted soul with eyes like the dawn and a spirit as free as the wind. Laurel's heart belonged to Harmony, a humble servant with a voice that could soothe the most troubled soul. Their love was pure and true, but it was a love that dared not speak its name, for the king, Laurel's father, forbade such unions between royalty and commoners.

King Alder, a stern ruler shaped by tradition and power, had other plans for his son. With the counsel of his trusted advisor, Wren, a woman of sharp wit and hidden agendas, he sought to end the prince's affair. They summoned a shadowy figure, a loyal assassin, to eliminate a court member and frame Harmony for the crime. The king's machinations were devious, and soon Harmony found herself imprisoned, her life hanging by a thread.

In his deepest despair, Prince Laurel turned to his fairy godmother, a being of ancient magic and wisdom. He pleaded for her to save his beloved, but she spoke of the limits of her power. Magic could not bend the will of a king, nor could it command love. Yet, seeing the prince's willingness to forsake his crown for Harmony, she wove an enchantment to aid in the servant's escape.

In the dead of night, as Harmony languished in her cell, a mysterious old woman appeared before her. This woman, with eyes that twinkled like the stars, was none other than the fairy godmother in disguise. She whispered to Harmony of a quest that could turn the tides of fate—a secret hidden deep within the mountains that held the power to change the king's heart.

With a flick of her wand, the fairy godmother unlocked the prison door and set Harmony free. She bestowed upon the young servant a map that shimmered with an ethereal glow, marking the path to the dragon's lair and the chest of truths. Harmony, filled with newfound hope, embarked on the perilous journey to reclaim her future and unveil the mysteries of the past.

Throughout her journey, the king's assassin, a specter of death, was never far behind. Harmony caught glimpses of him at the edge of her vision, a dark silhouette that vanished when looked upon directly, following her always. Their numberous confrontations were brief but intense, a deadly dance where each step could be her last. In a clearing bathed in moonlight, they clashed again, steel against steel. Harmony fought not with the skill of a warrior but with the desperation of one fighting for love. It was this passion that gave her strength, and with a deft maneuver, she disarmed the assassin, leaving him stunned and her path clear.

Her quest led her to a mountain shrouded in whispers and fear, guarded by a dragon of legend. As Harmony approached the dragon's lair, the air grew thick with the scent of sulfur and ash. The entrance was marked by scorched earth and bones that spoke of the dragon's fearsome reputation. Inside, the cavern stretched vast and dark, lit only by the occasional flicker of firelight reflecting off the dragon's scales.

The dragon itself was a creature of nightmares, its body coiled like a mountain range, and its eyes burning with an ancient fire. Harmony's heart raced, but she remembered the fairy godmother's words: "True courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."

The dragon lunged, its jaws wide enough to swallow Harmony whole. She dove aside, rolling across the stony ground. The dragon's tail swept towards her like a tidal wave, but Harmony leaped, grabbing onto a stalactite. As the dragon reared back to unleash its fiery breath, Harmony spotted a glint of metal—a stalagmite shaped like a spear.

With a swift motion, she dislodged the stalactite and plummeted towards the dragon, the makeshift spear in hand. She aimed not for the dragon's heart, but for a spot on its head, just between its horns, where ancient lore spoke of a dragon's slumber point.

The impact resonated through the lair as the stalactite struck true. The dragon's eyes widened in shock, its body shuddered, and then, like a great tree felled in the forest, it collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash. Harmony stood there, panting, her mission accomplished without taking a life.