I stood on the balcony, far above the clamor of the kingdom, where the wind didn't dare scream and the stars felt almost within reach. Behind me, the guards waited silently for my next instruction. Below, the town twinkled like a spilled box of fairy dust—busy, loud, blissfully unaware of the weight resting on my shoulders as its ruler.
From up here, everything looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful. The whole kingdom lay within the protective barrier spell Scarlette had cast—an invisible dome of magic shielding us from the outside world. No one knows what lies beyond it. Other Fairies? Humans? Monsters? The point is, nothing gets in, and nothing gets out—not the way it should.
No, it's not a prison. It's a great place, actually. At least for me. I liked watching the fairies. All of them. They looked like tiny ants from this height. I held up two fingers and pretended to squash a few—especially the ones who used to annoy me in our previous reality.
I chuckled.
But then, reality nudged me in the ribs.
Of course, I wouldn't actually do it. I'm a King now. These are my people. I want the best for them… even if they're occasionally exhausting.
Sometimes, I still couldn't believe I ruled over them. My eyes misted. Almost.
I could order a guard to sprint to the far end of town and pluck me a flower—he'd do it without blinking. I could tell another to dance in the rain until I was satisfied, and he'd oblige. Power trips? Hilarious. But I save those for special occasions. Like when someone really pisses me off.
From above, the swirl of colors looked like a living painting—soft blends of yellow, red, and black.
Light Fairies, dressed in shimmering yellow tunics, strolled without a care, graceful and self-important. Love Fairies skipped through the town with exaggerated poise, occasionally bumping into others just to flirt. The Dark Fairies? Always at the edges—standing in corners, fading in and out of shadows. It was like watching a dance. Delicate. Chaotic. Beautiful. Very vanilla… in the best possible way.
Juniper, my Kitsune, let out a soft purr on my shoulder. I knew that sound—loud and clear.
Food time.
I fished a poison apple from my robes and held it up. No, I'm not poisoning my pet. Animal abuse? Not in this palace, not in this Kingdom, thank you very much. That just happens to be her favorite fruit.
She devoured it with greedy delight, crunching down to the core, then spat the seed out with a sharp flick of her tongue. It bounced once on the stone before vanishing into the wind.
"There you are," Scarlette's voice came from behind me.
I didn't turn.
"What are you giggling about now?" she asked, stepping up beside me.
"Ever thought about creating minor inconveniences for all the people who pissed us off in the last reality?" I said, pressing my fingers together like an evil mastermind.
She groaned. "Veravos… are you serious? You're at this again?"
"They don't even remember, Scarlette. That's the best part," I replied, eyes twinkling. "Endless opportunities."
"Don't be petty." She rolled her eyes—the way she always did when I had a brilliant idea she refused to admit was brilliant.
"Anyway," she said, shifting gears with practiced grace, "I came to talk about work. The council wants to see us tomorrow."
Of course. As usual, the council always had something to say. Senior Fairy elders, supposed to oversee their respective factions, but mostly just incompetent.
Always getting me to solve their issues. I wanted to hear none of it.
"Tell them we have an important appointment," I said impatiently.
She raised a brow. "And what appointment would that be?"
"An off day," I declared proudly.
She stared at me.
"You can't be serious."
"I am. We'll see them the day after tomorrow." I grinned proudly.
Scarlette opened her mouth to protest. "Veravos, the Kingdom has to run—"
But I leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
She blinked, lips parting. A soft flush rose to her cheeks.
"Ver… the guards are still watching," she whispered, flustered.
"Perfect," I grinned. "Let them."
Then I turned to the guards. "Make sure no one disturbs us tomorrow. Postpone everything to the following day. It's an order."
As they bowed and retreated, I took Scarlette's hand and began running through the halls like a child playing make-believe in a royal castle.
"Why are we running?" she asked, breathless.
"It's only natural. I saw responsibilities and work, so I let my instincts take over," I replied cheekily. "Besides, I've always wanted to do that."
She burst into laughter.
"Veravos, you silly man."
And I, King of the United Fairy Kingdom, laughed with her—my Queen.