Stay With Me

Corvus had a strange yet beautiful dream last night. He dreamed of the swan lake behind the palace, where Anna would usually come when she had free time.

He saw Anna as the black swan swimming around the lake. He watched from the rock slab near the lakeside. Corvus adored Anna as the black swan. The moment he saw Anna for the first time, he realized that Anna, as the black swan, was gracious yet gentle.

She didn't try to look showy or dazzling, and it was what Corvus truly wanted.

Someone who could soothe his lonely heart with her gentleness.

Corvus flew towards Anna and circled around her. In this dream, he could speak freely as a raven, and the first thing he said was, "Anna, you look so beautiful, so gentle."

The black swan looked up to the raven, and she chuckled, "You keep saying that. You know when a man keeps saying those words, he will soon fall in love with the woman, right?"

"Maybe I am…"

"Hm? What did you say?" Anna swam to the lakeside and dried her feather. She slowly turned back into a human. Corvus immediately looked away until Anna finished wearing her maid dress. Anna sat on the rock slab with a smile, waiting for Corvus to come to her side.

Corvus flew back to Anna and perched on her shoulder. He mustered his courage and repeated his words before, "Maybe I am…"

"Maybe I am in love with you, Anna…" Corvus uttered sincerely.

"There is no maybe in love, my prince," Anna said. "Your heart will not lie to you. It will tell you when you are in love with someone. You should trust your heart."

"But I don't know what love feels like…" Corvus reasoned. He was never in love with anyone. How could it be possible, anyway? He was trapped in that tower for ten years. There was no way for him to feel love after all those torments.

"Can you be my heart, Anna? So you can tell me If I am in love or not. Because you are the only one I trust…"

"You are a smooth talker, aren't you?" Anna giggled.

"What is a smooth talker?" Corvus asked innocently.

Anna shook her head, she patted the raven. They were enjoying this moment for a while until Anna initiated something, "My prince, why don't you turn into a human? Do you not want to?"

"I… I don't want anything bad to happen to you, Anna. I don't want to hurt you," Corvus refused. Although he really wanted to hug Anna as a human, her safety was still the most important. It was better for him to be a raven forever rather than to leave a scratch on Anna's body.

"Worry not, when you are with me here, nothing bad will happen," Anna said, trying to assure Corvus.

"You don't understand, Anna. I am dangerous, and I don't want to hurt you," Corvus mentioned again. But Anna didn't budge, she had a thin smile on her face, and she said, "Trust me, you will be fine with me, Corvus."

Corvus gazed at Anna's assuring eyes. Somehow, he felt what Anna said was true. Everything would be alright as long as he was by her side.

"I… I will run immediately the moment my power went out of control," Corvus warned. He flew away and sat on the rock slab. Corvus closed his eyes and slowly let the magic overflowed inside his body. A black miasma engulfed his body, and slowly, Corvus' body got bigger until his body turned into a proper human.

There was no pain when he transformed, only a gentle warmth from Anna.

Corvus opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was his human hand and pale skin that he almost forgot he had because most of the time, he was an imperfect human with raven claws as his hands.

"I… I have human hands again!" Corvus was bewildered. His eyes darted at Anna, who was still smiling, "Anna, I have human hands! I am a perfect human again!"

Anna nodded, "I told you everything will be alright, as long as you are by my side, right? Do you—"

Anna paused when Corvus suddenly hugged her. Corvus rubbed his cheek with Anna's cheek and said, "Anna, what kind of magic do you have? You are the only one who can help me turn back into a human."

"I don't do magic on you, my prince," Anna gently placed her palm on Corvus' chest and continued, "I just showed you what true love is. A sincere love that will comfort your tormented heart."

"Then, are you in love with me, Anna?"

Anna paused for a moment, and she replied, "My prince, love is not something that will come easily. Love is earned. And even if I love you, we cannot be together because I am not from here, remember?"

"Then I will find a way, so I can be with you, Anna."

"Even if it's not meant to be?" Anna asked.

"Even if fate separates us, then I will find a way to meet you again. Anna, you are the first person who gives me something I want to fight for. As long as you stay with me, then I will do everything for you. That's my promise," Corvus said with unwavering determination in his words.

"I may not look amazing like Ignis, but I will always make you happy!"

Anna smiled at such a childish dream. It was indeed like a fairy tale. But she couldn't blame Corvus because he was chained for ten years, so his view about love was still very pure.

"Then, I wish our love will break through the fate that awaits us."

With that, Anna's body suddenly dispersed into hundreds of fireflies, leaving Corvus forever.