That night, heavy with ruin and sorrow, Prince Fairo entered upon the king, his features sterner than ever before. His body was still weighed down by wounds, yet he knew that silence was no longer an option. He bowed slightly and said in a steady voice:
— "My lord… please, let me speak with Dalirina. If we are to survive, we must give her a chance."
The king contemplated for long, the struggles of the past flickering in his eyes. At last, he exhaled slowly and answered with a hardened tone:— "Do as you will… but I shall not meet her. I will not stand before her again."
The king departed, leaving the prince alone to await Dalirina.
And as soon as the door opened, she rushed toward him as though she had been holding back years of longing. She embraced him tightly, and tears burst forth in anguish. Her body trembled as she whispered:— "All of this is my fault… if I had not been here, Elinor would never have been freed… the kingdom would not have burned like this. They hate her… they attack her from every side… and I feel her pain. So many souls have been lost… and the king is angry with me… I cannot save anyone!"
Fairo held her shoulders gently, wiping her tears with his thumb, his voice warm and filled with tenderness:— "Enough… do not blame yourself. What happened… was bound to happen one day. This fire could never be caged forever."
But she cried out, weeping:— "She is not evil, believe me! Elinor is not what they think… she is only afraid! Everything she did was only to defend herself!"
The prince smiled a sorrowful smile, answering with a tone full of certainty:— "I know… and I know even more that no one ever tried to understand her as you did."
Her lips trembled, and she whispered pleadingly:— "Then… let me go to her. Let me calm her flames, please. Do me this kindness, and allow me to speak to the king."
Fairo lowered his gaze for a moment, then nodded in agreement:— "I will… I shall ask him."
He left his chamber, walking heavily toward the king's hall. He knocked, entered, and vanished for a while behind the closed doors… until he returned, his voice calm, yet carrying a glimmer of hope:— "Enter. The king awaits you."
A smile of hope—unseen for long—lit Dalirina's face. With hesitant steps she walked inside, where she found the king standing with his back to her. Her eyes lowered, her trembling voice quivering with each word:— "My lord… forgive me. I know what I did was wrong… but I only wished to free her, to be with her. Had she remained by my side, she would not have brought chaos… nor panicked as she has now."
The king stayed silent, turning his face away. Then, she fell to her knees and cried from the depths of her heart:— "Please! Let me go to her… she is not evil, she only feels threatened!"
The king turned his face slightly, his eyes meeting hers for but an instant. Then, with a curt wave of his hand, he said coldly:— "Go… do what you can."
She raised her head, tears of gratitude shining, and whispered:— "Thank you, my lord…"
She ran out, and there she found Fairo waiting for her. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly as she murmured:— "Thank you… thank you for not abandoning me."
The prince smiled warmly and said:— "Do not thank me… I only did what my heart told me."
Her eyes gleamed with a light of unspoken feelings. She looked at him, a silent gaze that carried all the words left unsaid. Then, with hurried steps, she dashed out… where Elinor's flames still awaited her.