Once upon a time, a young lady arrived at a country she hadn’t seen in many, many years. She had left it when her parents returned to her mother’s homeland in search of a future, but conflict had arisen, and leaving had become increasingly difficult with the years, until finally they found a small window of opportunity, and left.

So now here she was, back to her country, a country that she knew nothing about, and didn’t even understand the language.

She enrolled in a school, hoping to learn something. But it didn’t work, as every time the teachers spoke, she wasn’t able to understand anything. She couldn’t make any friends, shy and unsure as she was, so she spent her days in solitude, wondering why they had come back.

Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months as the time passed and her heart sank more and more into the darkness of loneliness. Until one day, a young man approached her. He was handsome, with a smile that could put the sun to shame. Golden hair and beard that shone like gold; eyes as blue as the seas and pale skin, soft as silk.

He spoke to her, made her smile after so much time. He introduced friends to her, showed her around. He taught her how to speak, read and write. He helped her leave the darkness in her heart behind.

And she was, oh, so happy.

Time passed and she learned so much from him. She learned how to run and climb, how to swim and dive. She taught him her language, and he taught her how to make a joke. She showed him how to bake, and he taught her how to study. She taught him how to hug, and he taught her how to love.

Happiness was a small word for what she felt. Nothing could stop her; the limit was the sky. He gave her a necklace, a symbol from his land, a symbol that promised love, and everlasting happiness. She gave him her life, her time and her heart. She had no money, and she wasn’t the brightest, but she promised eternal love in exchange for his love.

And that’s where the story should end. In love, with eternal happiness. But life doesn’t end at the top, and love can’t conquer mountains.

After many years, he said goodbye. He had his reasons, she didn’t understand them. He said he loved her, so why did it have to end? He smiled and hugged her, promised that she would find eternal love. She didn’t care, she only wanted him. She held his hand, kissed his cheek, asked him to stay, for them, for love. He let her hand go, smiled sadly, and left.

She collapsed.

What was she going to do now? For years, he had been the only person in her life; he had understood her, accepted her, loved her for who she was and what she had to offer. He had known everything, so why wasn’t it enough? She tried to hate him for leaving, for breaking her heart. But she couldn’t, she knew she would always love him.

As time passed and the tears started to run dry, she started to forget him. She didn’t want to, but her heart couldn’t cope with it any other way. She buried her memories of him, his smile, his laugh, his warmth, she buried everything deep within her, trying to forget the pain. And so, she started to forget him. And what happiness was.

And so, he would remain the prince charming, a dream of a time gone by, of a beautiful dream that would never come to be.