The Spring Faeries

"Regrettably, many faeries dismiss the concept of the Aether element as nothing more than a mere fable. The faerie referenced in the text who wielded the power of Aether dates back several millennia and is now also believed to be the realm of myth and legend."

"Until a few days ago, this world was a story for me as well. So there is a big possibility that they are not stories and speculations but real truths. I wish I could accidentally encounter an Aether faerie and ask her about all my troubles." Aurelius chuckled, shaking his head.

"Given that even historical records fail to provide conclusive evidence for the existence of the Aether element, it appears highly improbable that we shall ever encounter an Aether faerie within the course of our lives." Crystal rolled her eyes at Aurelius for bursting her bubble and pouted as she tried to read further.

Unfortunately for her, there were no books in the library that mentioned how the dragons went extinct. It made sense that there were none since they had been forbidden to mention right after they went extinct.

“Why are you studying about dragons?” someone asked, drawing both of their attention as they looked up with widened eyes.

Ambrose, the crown prince, was standing beside Aurelius.

Aurelius instantly did the fae greeting. "Oh, merely out of casual interest, nothing more." He nervously chuckled while Crystal did her best to avoid Ambrose and catch a glimpse of her face.

“There are an awful lot of books on this subject that seem rather disproportionate to the level of your casual interest."Ambrose raised his left eyebrow and Aurelius shrugged his shoulders. He had no answers remaining to make up something in his head.

Crystal really wanted to tell Ambrose that it was none of his business and that he should leave Aurelius alone, but she did not want to cause trouble.

“And, oh,” Ambrose stopped speaking, and Crystal curiously lifted her eyes away from the book towards him. She found him already staring at her; it looked like he had recognized her by her jet-black hair. Talk about getting caught in the act. It was now her turn to wish that the ground would split and consume her into nothingness.

Ambrose, on the other hand, was no different than Crystal.

Knowing Ambrose since their childhood, Aurelius could notice his change in behavior and expressions. Even if no one else could tell, he clearly saw Ambrose's face turning red as if he was embarrassed about something.

“I-- I shall get going,” saying that, Ambrose walked away from them instantly, as if he was running away from something.

"I thought I was imagining things last time, but now I really think he's ignoring me. He's going out of his way to ignore me and not even bothering to hide it," Crystal confided to Aurelius as she stared at the vanishing figure of the crown prince.

Aurelius didn't know why, but he suddenly felt un uncomfortable tightness in his chest. He didn't like the whole situation how Ambrose ran away after seeing Crystal, and how Crystal noticed his weird behavior but he didn't express it. It would be stupid of him to make a puddle of his emotions based on subjective feelings; he knew better than to let his emotions cloud his judgment.

"I told you last time, His Highness does not prefer being entangled into troublesome situations." Crystal looked at Aurelius like she was so done with him.

"You know you do it very subtly, but it's the second time you've called me troublesome," Crystal bitterly said, but playfully, and Aurelius chuckled, his eyes disappearing.

"It is merely that you misconstrue my words on every occasion," Aurelius explained.

"Yes, yes, I'm at fault. His Royal Highness is the best fae alive," Crystal said sarcastically, and Aurelius couldn't hold back his laughter.

They received a warning from the librarian for causing a disturbance in the library.

"Are you close to the crown prince?" Crystal inquired, trying to keep the conversation flowing as they walked out of the library after a long day.

"If our acquaintance since childhood implies a closer relationship, then I would agree with you," Aurelius answered, his tone calculated. "However, I would not say that we are friends per se. Rather, our family has a close relationship with the imperial family of the fae kingdom," he added as Crystal made an 'o' shape with her lips, nodding her head.

Crystal's curiosity was piqued, and she pressed him for more information. "So your family is like nobles among the other families?" she asked. Aurelius chuckled at her interpretation.

"Yes, but not quite the same. We are known for our lineage of powerful spring faeries, and the head of our household bears the great responsibility of nurturing and sustaining the greenery and flora throughout the fae kingdom. Our faerie flowers are sustained by the power of the spring faeries, which sets our kingdom apart from others."

Crystal remembered that she had already learned about these facts in her faerie gardening class. She also suddenly recalled the garden from her dream and wondered if Aurelius knew something about it.

"Aurelius, do you happen to know about a garden filled with bushes of pink and red flowers? The flowers have two layers, each with six inverted petals forming the center, and two anthers stand out. The flowers emit a unique fruity scent, and I've never seen such a flower on Plutus. The garden also has a large fountain in the center where the water takes the form of a ten-meter-tall dragon."

Aurelius's mind raced as he tried to recall any place that resembled the one Crystal had mentioned, but he drew a blank. "I apologize, for I have no knowledge of such a place," he said. Crystal's disappointment was palpable as she pouted and looked down, which made Aurelius feel really bad.

Determined to help his friend, Aurelius offered, "Should you wish, I can inquire of my great-grandfather about the garden you seek when I will visit back home. As the current head of our family, he possesses extensive knowledge, even extending to the affairs of foreign kingdoms. It is likely that he may be aware of the place you describe."

Crystal looked at Aurelius with puppy eyes, grateful to have him around.

"I wonder how I will be able to repay your kindness," Crystal said, her voice tinged with sincerity. But Aurelius quickly dismissed the notion.

"You said it yourself that we are friends. Hence, there is no need for you to feel obligated towards me in any way. I only hope that you succeed in your pursuit of finding what you desire." Once again, Crystal's heart was warmed, she was truly thankful to Aurelius for not asking unnecessary questions.