"Okay, you are a prince. But as a friend, what have you done for them? Have you ever tried to understand them? Have you ever sympathized with them? I think the only thing you've done is make them understand how great you are," Eryndor's mother said firmly, then sat upright.
Eryndor, sitting on his bed, muttered, "No, I did...."
"Now, let's reverse the situation. They always waited for you to play with them. Have you ever waited for them? Have you ever tried to protect them? Have you ever asked them why they were crying? Instead of being a protector, you are acting like a destroyer. If they are wrong, guide them. If you are wrong, follow them. And if your solutions differ, try to understand them. But you're running away. What will they do with the fact that you're a prince?" Eryndor's mother finished and gently patted his head.
Eryndor remained silent and eventually fell asleep, his mother leaving the room with a knowing smile. That night, he lay awake, pondering her words. His thoughts returned to a glass artifact his father had gifted him. It was precious because elves in their kingdom never used glass—it was a rare treasure brought from the human world.
The next morning, Eryndor went to the waterfall, where he built a mud castle and wrote "Sorry" on it for Aeris and Lyriel. His royal clothes were soon caked in mud, his appearance a mess, yet he waited patiently for his friends to arrive.
As time passed, concern took root in his heart. By noon, they still hadn't come. Worried, he decided to check on them in the kingdom. Entering the commoners' gate, he was horrified to see noble girls bullying Aeris and Lyriel.
Aeris and Lyriel lay in the dirt, their clothes filthy. One noble girl sneered, "You bitches think you deserve to play with Eryndor? Know your place, commoners! You can't even afford to buy him a piece of cloth. Don't you dare touch him with your dirty hands!"
Another girl tossed coins at them mockingly. "Here, go buy yourself something nice and stay away from Eryndor."
Lyriel sobbed, while Aeris struggled to stand. Seeing Eryndor approaching, the noble girl ( Isolde )holding a mud bucket exclaimed, "Eryndor! What are you doing here?"
Without a word, Eryndor took the bucket from her and poured its contents over himself.
"Don't touch my friends ever again," he said coldly, his voice carrying authority.
He then walked over to Aeris and Lyriel, taking their hands and leading them away. On the way to the waterfall, Aeris protested.
"Hey, Eryndor, wait! I said wait! You're acting scary," she said, trying to free her hand.
"Are you angry?" Lyriel asked in a timid voice.
When they reached the mud castle, Aeris finally pulled her hand away. "I said wait! What's wrong with you, Eryndor?"
Eryndor knelt before them. "I'm sorry. Please be my friends again. Let's play together and ignore what others say."
Both Aeris and Lyriel were taken aback. Their eyes fell on the mud castle.
"Did you make this? It's beautiful," Lyriel said, her face lighting up with a smile.
Aeris wiped her tears and teased, "Oh, are you crying?"
Blushing but covered in mud, Eryndor retorted, "No, I don't cry. I'm a man."
"Is that so?" Aeris teased further, grinning.
"Hey, don't mess with me, Aeris!" Eryndor shouted, chasing after her.
Lyriel smiled, watching her friends reconcile.
That evening, during dinner, Claudine, a maid, brought Eryndor a basket of auraberries and wiped food from his face.
"Hey, stop! I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a man!" Eryndor protested.
Both Claudine and his mother laughed.
"I have an idea," his mother teased. "Why don't you marry Claudine?"
"Did you say something? I didn't hear it," Eryndor said, pretending to ignore her as he grabbed a fruit and bit into it. "Hmm, delicious. I've never seen or heard of this fruit before."
"It's not native to our forest," his mother explained. "Elves live apart from humans. To reach our forest, humans must cross a cave."
"Mom, are humans bad?" Eryndor asked curiously.
"Every coin has two sides. All beings are the same. We're not the only elves in the world; others live in hidden forests across the lands," she said before leaving for her room.
The next day, Eryndor shared the fruits with Aeris and Lyriel. Their joy made him happy.
A year later, the trio played near the waterfall when a golden-feathered bird with a long, wavy tail landed on Aeris's head.
"Oh, it's so cute," Lyriel exclaimed.
Suddenly, the bushes rustled, and Eryndor became alert. He feared a predator but was surprised when an older elf emerged.
"Peck! I was worried about you. Let's go home," the elf said, approaching Lyriel.
"Excuse me, sir, is this bird yours?" Aeris asked.
"Yes. Thank you for finding her," the man replied with a hand gesture.
"Oh no, she came to me. I didn't find her," Aeris corrected him.
"Still, thank you. Here, take these," he said, handing them some auraberries before leaving with the bird.
From a distance, Isolde watched with disgust.
The next morning, Aeris ran to the palace but was stopped by guards.
"Please, let me meet Eryndor! I'm begging you!" she cried, panting and desperate.
"Without permission, we can't allow anyone inside. Please understand," the guard said.
"I don't have time! Eryndor!" she screamed, sobbing.
A noble girl ( Amelina)observed from the shadows, smirking. "Everything is going as planned."
Inside, Eryndor heard Aeris's cries and rushed to the gate. "Did Aeris come to see me?" he asked a guard.
"Yes, Prince," the guard replied hesitantly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Eryndor snapped, grabbing him.
The prince rushed to Aeris, who sat crying on the ground. He comforted her while glaring at the guard.
"Lyriel is missing!" Aeris sobbed. "We've searched everywhere and can't find her."
Eryndor's throat went dry. Summoning his composure, he ordered the soldiers to search the kingdom.
He then asked Aeris, "Did you check the waterfall?"
"No," she replied, and they hurried there.
When they arrived, Aeris collapsed, fainting. Eryndor caught her before she hit the ground.
"There's no one here but Lyriel to hear me. I don't need to hold back anymore," Eryndor whispered, then screamed with all his might.
Behind them, Lyriel's dismembered body was skewered on sticks, her head at the center. Her hair fluttered in the wind, a haunting testament to her fate.