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Prompt: fairytale
Once upon a time there was a prince who lived in a castle with a very tall tower. In fact it was the tallest in the kingdom, that Prince was called Elias. One day he was on battlements of that tower with a spyglass, surveying his kingdom, looking at all the people great and small going about their business. When a flash of white caught his eye. He turned his spyglass towards the white object and saw it was in fact the sail of a fine ship. He looked closer at the ship standing by the helm was the most handsome man he had ever seen, a proud and tall man with the bearing of a captain. Elias fell deeply in love with the man at first glance. But as he did, the man turned to face him and though it was impossible, Elias could swear the ship’s captain saw him. It was then that a dense gray fog rolled in and covered the ship.
That night he was holding a feast for a prince who was visiting from a distant land. Elias of course had other members of staff arrange it was boredly sitting on his throne as the various noblemen and diplomats came before him, bowing and saying their greetings. Then finally the visiting Prince appeared. Elias was shocked to discover it was the handsome sea captain. As the prince bowed before him he said his name, it was Peter. And the way Peter looked at him, Elias knew Peter was attracted to him too.
That night at the ball, Peter and Elias only danced with each other… afterwards they slipped their bodyguards and wandered through the castle’s gardens in the moonlight, talking of everything and nothing. Finally Elias pulled Peter into a kiss. Peter kissed him back and then pulled away he sighed and said:
“I can’t do this, I’ll only break your heart.”
“No you won’t,” Elias laughed.
“You don’t understand that my family line was cursed by an evil fairy long ago: the firstborn son can never stay more than three days and can never form a bond with a lover.” Peter said.
“What happens if you don’t obey the rules of the curse?” Elias asked.
Peter laughed for a long time and finally said: “Well, that firstborn will die on the night of the third day.”
“I’m sure that won't happen,” Elias teased.
Peter sighed morosely: “No it will, it happened to my nephew Duke Evan, he stayed with his wife for three days and was sitting talking to her when a fog rolled up and devoured him.”
Elias looked at Peter’s face and knew what he said was true… a small part of him wished he could have seen it. But then he smiled and put his arms around Peter and said: “Then darling, let’s live these three days like our last.”
Peter thought for a second and then they kissed deeply and truly. They spent the next three days together every moment of the day: Making love, lying in each other’s arms, and walking through castles’ gardens, enraptured by one another. They knew each other now by the feel of each other’s skin and taste of their lips.
It was almost midnight on the evening of the third day. Peter’s servants had packed his things, he had said his goodbyes and was about to board his ship, when Elias came riding up on a fine dappled gray horse.
“Please don’t leave… stay with me, I can’t bear to be without you.” Elias pleaded. “I can’t spend my time apart from you. There has to be a way to break the curse.”
Peter turned away: “Why did you come Elias? I’ve stayed too long already.”
It was then the clock in the city square struck midnight and a great impenetrable gray fog rolled up from nowhere over Prince Peter, and his fine ship.
Prince Elias couldn’t see through it, not Peter nor his ship, servants or crew. He called out to them but got no answer. He rode towards the fog, but it just as quickly the fog was gone. So was Peter, his ship and servants.