The Dark Fairy King

I vanished into the shadows, only to reappear atop my favorite poison apple tree—the one standing at the very edge of my dark forest, overlooking the valley.

Plucking a dark red apple from its branch, I turned it in my hand, watching the way the fading sunlight gleamed against its glossy surface. Ripe. Lethal. Perfect.

A soft breeze drifted through the valley, carrying the scent of roses, cherries, and nectar. The golden rays of the setting sun spilled across the towering mountains, their peaks kissed by a warm glow. Beyond the ridges, lakes shimmered like pools of molten gold, reflecting a world untouched by time. Here, magic didn’t just exist—it thrived. It pulsed beneath every blade of grass, hummed beneath the stones, and danced in the ripples of the water.

I exhaled. This was peace.

In the distance, past the valley, a forest of crimson-leaved trees stretched out, their branches intertwining into perfect heart-shaped arches. The air there was thick with the intoxicating scent of blooming flowers, their sweetness almost dizzying. The Love Fairy Kingdom.

On the opposite end, a yellow-bricked fortress loomed, its towering golden gates gleaming under the waning light. Fireflies drifted lazily around the structure, their flickering glow painting the illusion of warmth. They called it the safest place in the realm—a sanctuary of order and righteousness.

To me, it looked suffocating.

I hoped never to find out firsthand. The dark forest was better, despite certain nuisances like Devran.

Sitting there, staring at the world beyond my own, I couldn’t help but wonder—what if I had been born a Love Fairy instead? Or even a Light Fairy? Would I have been free of this curse, this hunger that marked me as a Dark Fairy? Would I have known a life without the whispers of world dominion or the gnawing instinct to feed?

If I had been a Love Fairy, would I be shackled by their syrupy notions of romance—those over-polished ideals of everlasting affection, moonlight promises, and ride-into-the-sunset illusions? And the Light Fairies? Don’t make me laugh. Pompous, sanctimonious fools hiding behind golden halos of ’virtue’ while they burn entire truths to ash. If those were my options, I’d sooner embrace the shadows. I don’t chase ideals. I don’t parade around in their charade of purity. And honestly, who are they trying to impress now? Themselves? Each other? Their rulers? Their gods?

Perhaps it would even be better to be human. Free from the consequence of magic. Though, not that human who disturbed my nap, of course. Ugh. Was I seriously jealous of him? That puny mortal who desperately needed a bath?

I sighed, shifting my grip on the apple. No point dwelling on the impossible.