Marie

On a beautiful Summer day, Yuto finds himself dozing off in the library. After a grueling morning of work on the farm, he feels his moment of rest is well-deserved. His girlfriend, Marie, the town librarian, approaches him softly. She sighs as she watches him sleep, pondering why he comes to the library just to snooze the afternoon away. He could rest at home instead.

Carefully picking up the book that lies open on his lap, Marie returns it to its proper place on the shelf. She then comes back to Yuto's side and gently nudges him awake.

"Yuto, it's time to wake up," she says softly. "The library is about to close."

Yuto wakes up and lets out a huge yawn. After rubbing the cold off his eyes, he looks to Marie and smiles. “Sorry, I guess I was a lot more tired that I thought.”

A light blush colors Marie’s face as she says, “you know, the library will be closed tomorrow. I was thinking about going somewhere to spend some time with each other.”

“Yeah, the farm and the library does keep us pretty busy.” said Yuto. After taking a moment to think, Yuto says, “let’s go up to Mother’s Hill tomorrow afternoon! We can have a little snack and read the book together. What do you say?”

Marie nods, “I’d love that.”

After saying their goodbyes, Marie watches Yuto walk out of the library, her thoughts drifting back to the day he gave her the preserved flower. Before he came to Mineral Town, she had doubted she would ever find someone special, especially when compared to the other young bachelorettes in town. They are very popular and beautiful, while Marie saw herself as plain and ordinary, with her long black hair, brown eyes, and thick glasses. She had resigned herself to a life where books would be her only companions.

But Yuto saw something special in her. He loved to read as much as she did and always had something interesting to discuss. Together, they co-authored many short stories, some of which Marie has even published over time. She feels incredibly grateful to have someone as special as him in her life.

The next day, Yuto and Marie meet up at Mother's Hill. Yuto spreads out a blanket, and Marie brings along the book they've been engrossed in for a while. Titled "Out of Place," it tells the story of two lovers separated in childhood, only to be fatefully reunited in their later years. The book has become their favorite, as it mirrors their own history. Once childhood friends, they've reconnected and are now in a loving relationship.

As they settle down on the blanket, Marie opens the book to where they left off. The afternoon sun dapples through the leaves, casting a warm glow on the pages. Yuto wraps an arm around Marie, pulling her closer as she begins to read. Both of them lose themselves in the story, feeling grateful for the simple yet profound joy of shared moments like this one.

As they continue reading, Marie notices that Yuto has once again drifted off to sleep. She smiles, understanding that a day of farming has left him exhausted. Gently laying him down on the blanket, she lets him rest. Marie then pulls out a notebook from her bag and starts to write. She has been working on a novel for some time now and can't wait to share it with Yuto once it's complete.

She stares at the title of her book called: “The Dragon of Eldoria: A tale of Love and Valor”. With pen in hand, Marie writes:

In the magical kingdom of Eldoria, Princess Marie finds herself confined to a high tower. Her days are monotonous, her company limited to dusty tomes and the squawks of a lone raven outside her window. She is kept under watch by Blaze, a fearsome dragon with emerald scales and eyes like molten gold. Despite her captivity, Marie dreams of freedom, filling her days with reading and scribbling stories of far-off places.

One fateful afternoon, her quiet solitude is shattered by the distant sound of clashing metal. It grows louder and louder until she hears a triumphant roar. Racing to her window, she catches sight of a knight in shining armor, his blade glowing under the setting sun.

"Princess Marie, stay back! I shall deal with this beast!" calls the knight, who she soon recognizes as Sir Yuto.

Marie's heart swells with hope as Yuto engages the dragon. The knight's skill is evident, his strikes calculated, but Blaze is a formidable foe, spewing fire and thrashing its tail. Just when it seems that the dragon might overpower him, Yuto notices a vulnerable spot under the dragon's wing.

Summoning his remaining strength, Yuto leaps and strikes the dragon's weak point with his enchanted blade. With a deafening roar, Blaze stumbles back and suddenly transforms into a giant golden eagle, freed from a curse it never wanted to bear.

"Thank you, brave knight," the eagle speaks in a magical tongue only Marie understands. "I was once the guardian of this land, cursed to become a dragon until someone broke the spell."

With the guardian's blessing, Yuto climbs the tower's winding stairs and unlocks the chamber door. "Princess Marie, you are free," he announces, almost breathless from his climb.

Marie smiles, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. "And you, Sir Yuto, are my hero. Not just a knight in shining armor, but the brave soul who recognized that not all dragons are foes and not all princesses need saving. Yet, here we are, having saved each other."

Hand in hand, they descend the tower, not as a rescuer and a damsel, but as equal partners, their own story yet to be written but already filled with the promise of many shared adventures.

Marie swiftly tucks her notebook back into her bag as she hears Yuto stirring from his nap. Stretching his arms wide and letting out a yawn, he looks at her and says, "Sorry about that. Where were we?"

Marie smiles warmly, her eyes meeting his. "We were just getting to a really good part of the book. Would you like to continue reading, or shall we enjoy the view for a bit?"

Yuto gazes out over Mother’s Hill, touched by the golden light of the setting sun. "The view is incredible, but your company is even better. Why don't we enjoy both?"

With that, Marie reopens the book to their last-read page, and they dive back into the tale together, treasuring the simple, beautiful moments of being side by side. Every once in a while, Yuto glances up from the pages to catch Marie lost in the story, and he feels a sense of gratitude and love that words can hardly capture.

As the final rays of the sun paint the sky in hues of orange and pink, they close the book, promising to pick it up again another day. Yuto turns to Marie and says, "I'm so glad we did this. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in our daily routines and forget to take time for the things that really matter."

Marie nods, her eyes sparkling in the twilight. "I couldn't agree more. Days like these are the chapters we'll look back on fondly, the ones that make our story truly special."

They pack up their belongings, Yuto folding the blanket and Marie carefully stowing away their treasured book. As they make their way down the hill, hands intertwined, Marie looks at Yuto and smiles. “My brave knight,” she says.

“What was that about?” asked Yuto.

Marie continues to smile, “nothing. You’ll see soon enough.”

And so they make their way back to town, the notebook containing Marie's half-finished story tucked safely in her bag. She can hardly wait to complete it, already planning to dedicate the tale to her enduring love for Yuto.

As they reach the farm headed back towards the library, Mineral Town welcomes them back to reality. As they walk hand in hand, Marie thinks about the new chapter she'll soon add to her novel, a chapter that echoes the joy and love she feels in her own life. Her knight in shining armor someday giving her the blue feather and has the happily ever after she’s been dreaming about

The End.