Wonderful Surprise

I am still wiping the tears of joy from my eyes, when I heard Freda's voice behind me.

"Hey! I have a surprise for you Mal." Freda tugged me outside the venue and covered my eyes with her hands.

    "Freda what kind of surprise is this, that you need to drag me outside and cover my eyes. You don't realize that I can take you down right now, I am stronger than you, I hate surprises Freda." I said, laughing at my best friend, I was just joking, I am actually having fun, my duty is done for the day, since all the guests had arrived already.

We are already walking hundred steps, before we finally stopped, and she removed her hands from my eyes.

     "You can open your eyes now Malia!" She said in a whisper.

My eyes are filled with tears the moment I open my eyes and see my father standing before me.

"Dad!" I ran to my father and hugged him tightly, his tears are pouring down on his face.

"I miss you so much Malia!"

"I miss you too Dad! How's mom?" I asked him still teary eyed.

"She is fine, she is longing to see you too, honey, but you know your mom is not allowed to visit here, and I myself only have two hours to see you." He said holding my hands.

"Why Dad? Why can't you stay for the night?"

"Malia, you know I can't, remember the conditions your real father gave me, if not for you, I can't be here, but he allowed me to visit you for special occasions only, and for a very short period of time."

"That is unfair Dad!"

"No, sweetie, your father is such a good man to grant me my wishes to be with your mom, I should be executed for falling in love with a human, but he granted me my freedom." He said happily.

    "I am so happy to see you Dad, you really make my day complete."

Freda left us to talk, and I asked my Dad to come with me into the Magical Forest to have privacy, we are seated in the hanging chairs inside the gazebo.

    "Looking at you now Malia, I assumed that you already come to power." Dad said and I showed him my wings that made him cry even more.

   "You looked so lovely now Malia, how I wish your mom can see you with such impressively beautiful wings, it is only a dream to see a real Spektra since it was only a prophecy, but now I can't believe myself, that I raised you sweetheart, I am a father of the most beautiful and powerful fairy of all time. He said, wiping his tears away.

"Even though, I am only your adoptive father, for me, you are my only daughter, Princess, and you will always be." Dad said proudly, he is stroking my back, giving me the old feeling of being home in the mortal world.

   "You will always be my father too, Dad and thank you so much for coming, it really means a lot to me." I looked at my Dad in the eyes and kiss him on his cheeks.

"Your mother sends her regards and kisses, and she asked me to give you this necklace." My Dad handed me a white gold-plated necklace with a locket, I took it from his hands and opened the locket and saw the pictures of my mom and dad on the left side, and my picture on the right side, I hugged the necklace on my chest.

"Please tell Mom I miss her so much, and thank her for me for the necklace." Dad put the necklace on my neck.

"It looks so good on you, sweetheart." Dad said, his eyes are swollen from crying, I have only seen my dad cry, when I left our home, and this is the second time he showed weakness.

"Let us make use of our two hours Malia, tell me about your life here, are you happy Malia?" Dad asked, I can feel the worries in his voice.

"I have been here for how many months now dad, I miss you and mom terribly, but I am beginning to love your world Dad, especially the food." I said, he smiled at me, the moment I mentioned the food.

"Yes! Princess, that is one of the things I miss here in the fairy land, but your Mom's cooking is the best." He said proudly.

"You are just so in love with Mom, Dad, that is why you still choose her cooking compared to the food here in Erthesia."

"Speaking of in love, did you find someone dear in your heart Malia, have you meet your prince charming?" Dad asked, I can see the excitement in his eyes, but he looks sad, when he saw my reaction. I can't hide from him, how I truly felt.

"Oh, I see, so who is the lucky Prince? And why you look so unhappy?"

"He doesn't love me Dad and worse, before we meet, he is already betrothed to the Princess of Eirini, actually, to my cousin Princess Avery. They are now engaged to each other." I said sadly.

"Wow! You are in love with the Erthesia's Crown Prince, your rival to the crown, I never expected this to happen, well King Cassian's son is very popular with girls, and also the Crown Prince of Elpizo, have you meet Prince Gregory?" Dad asked me, he is waiting for my response. I nodded and smiled at him.

"Actually, Prince Gregory brought me to the Hanging Restaurant Dad." I said happily. Dad smiles broadly.

"That is good news, meaning he must like you very much, Hanging Restaurant is the only place here in Erthesia, where wealthy fairies bring the girl they really love. It is his way of showing his real feelings for you Princess Malia." Dad said, and I am shocked to learn about it. Freda didn't tell me about that part, only the expensive menus.

    "I like Prince Gregory, but I am not certain how I feel about him, there is one thing I am sure about, I am in love with Prince Flynn Dad, I must be cursed for feeling this way to him, because of him my life here in Erthesia is so difficult, seeing him and his fiancee every day is a torture, can you take me back home Dad?" I said, I can no longer keep my tears from flowing, my Dad hugged me, and gave me fatherly comfort.

    "Sorry Malia, I didn't know you are hurting this way, but I can't take you home, I am only a soldier of your real father Princess, I must follow the rules, all else your Mom and I, will suffer the consequences."  He talked to me gently.

     I don't want to put my parent's lives in danger, I only said it because I really miss home.

   "As long as the magic cord hasn't decided the future of Prince Flynn and Princess Avery, there is still a way to win his heart Malia." Dad said, he looks so serious.

    " What you mean Dad?" I asked confused.

   "By using your magic, you are a powerful fairy Malia, you can cast a spell on him, so that he will be with you."

    "No! I will never do that to him, Dad, I'd rather live alone, than to be with someone, who only loves me because of a spell, I want real love Dad, the kind of love that you and Mom shared." I said, then I sighed heavily.

    "I am sorry Malia, yes, I understand, true love means eternity, it is not too late, who knows, the magical cord will choose you and Prince Flynn. I am hoping for the best Malia, you can send a letter to us, just ask Nick how, to make it." Dad said.

     "Really? Why didn't anyone tell me about that before?"

     "I apologize Princess, we did it for your own safety, we are afraid that the letter would be intercepted by the Dark Forces, and your location, will be found. We also wanted you, to concentrate on your training, but right now, you are a full pledged fairy. Therefore, you will not be distracted anymore, no matter what happens." Dad said regretfully.

"It is okay, Dad, I understand, at least now, I know how to communicate with you and Mom." I smiled to my Dad sweetly.

     My father bids his farewell with tears in his eyes, then he vanished using a portal, I was left looking at the vacant hanging chair in front of me, it was indeed a wonderful surprise, I can't believe that our two hours were up already. I went back at the offering ceremony with jovial expressions on my face.

    All the happiness I felt upon seeing my father was gone away, the moment I returned to the Academy, and my eyes spotted Flynn and Avery dancing intimately on the dance floor, I felt like my heart has been stabbed.

I wanted to run, but I can't move my whole body, no matter how I wanted to look away my gaze is fixed on them, I followed every sway of their bodies. They look so sweet and ideal together.