Gift of Springtime

It was a story of a far etched history about a young maiden bestowed with timeless youth. No matter how long it will pass, may it a century or millennium she won’t age nor die. She was revered and worshiped by her people in disguise of hoping that they too, will have such immortality. But soon, all of them died what’s left was the new generation who feared her and scorn. A witch, a sinner and a monster is what they called her.

She lost count how many years did she live as she kept on walking on Earth finding home until out of luck, among thousands of people she met him. Instantly she fell in love after a long period of feeling nothing but indifference and sadness but this love leads to nothing she knew it for she was a monster with undying body and he was a mere man. Surely just knowing her existence will bring him to hate her so all she did was to watch from afar, secretly admiring him. But she had never regretted a moment of it, for she knew he was all she had, the only existence that prevented her from disappearing into the void. He was her sole comfort during the nights of shed tears and loneliness etched upon the walls. However it seems fate got tired of her only watching so she decided to interfere.

While taking a bath on river, the man she adored fell right into her wounded. Not wanting to leave him behind, she treated him until he completely healed and once he’s fully recovered, still unconscious, she left him in the wood afraid of being seen. Unfortunately to her, he got a glimpse of her while she was cleaning his wounds and fell in love at first sight so for the second time they met, he confessed his love towards her only to be met by her running back. The man instead of being hurt chuckled as he realized his mistake. The two of them never knew each other so she would absolutely react in such a way. He never noticed the reddening of the tip of her ears nor her apple cheeks.

They constantly meet even after how many times she tried to avoid him and on every meeting they had, her feelings grow stronger and stronger and it makes her scared. But in the end, she accepted him despite knowing what would be the consequences. The two became lovers who were deeply so in love with each other that the people would envy their bond. She was happy, very if added. Of all the lives she had, this is her happiest. But deep inside her heart was a tiny speck of fear that keeps on rising and at the same time she also keeps on burying. Out of chance, she passed by to a shrine and decided to offer a prayer:

Great God of Heavens, hear thy prayer

May this life bestowed upon be continue to be blessed

May this love given shall remain forever

May this bond both of us shared never be broken

And if ever did such thy life became a curse

Please oh please only curse thy life not his

It was the twelfth night of the harvest moon, their anniversary. Wishing to surprise him, she decided to prepare the most exquisite food that only could be made by her but on her way to the woods, bandits attacked her and left her dying however since she is an immortal being, she could not die. It was dawn when she woke up and prepared to went back home only to came face to face with her husband staring wide with a glint on his eyes she very well known, fear. Understanding what happened, she only did the only thing she knew, she run away from him crying. Her dark secret was revealed and she will be hated by the person she love the most like in the past so she left him without words. 

Once again, she found herself walking aimlessly without any destination on mind and everything she saw some little things that reminds her of him, she would cry and cry until her eyes got tired of it. She walk and walk and found herself on a cliff so steep. Not thinking clearly, she move forward only to be grabbed by strong hands. Turning around, what she saw almost stopped her heart. It was him. Eyes still filled with fear but not directed to her but to what? He pulled her into his arms and hugged her so tight that she almost choked. But she did realize one thing, she is finally accepted. She was so happy she felt she would burst and her husband kissed her. Right there she knew she was fully loved. She didn’t notice the wound that never healed only did she notice when she felt the pain. She once more cried but this time it was not from anguish but a kind of happiness she can’t pinpoint. She was no longer cursed. The timeless youth was no longer there. Finally the life she ever wish for granted. She look above and stare at the night sky that seems to be void of star, but looking closer she see that there are tiny specks of light. It was a great reminder that in every life, no matter how it filled with loneliness, sorrow and grief, there will always love and happiness. Just like how even Pandora released all the evil in the world, there still remains a single ray of hope.