A Crown of Peonies

The fair elvin maiden, Viveka, relaxed on the riverbank as several of her fairy friends braided her long, golden hair. Her bare feet were submerged in the cool, clear water where the flow was gentle and the fish were free to swim at their own leisure. Frogs croaked and birds chirped. Viveka tilted her head back and peered up at the rays of sunlight breaking through the trees, then closed her eyes, reveling in the music of the forest.

A few familiar voices called out to her and she opened her eyes to see her other fairy friends approach, beckoning her to follow them. To where, she didn't know, but they kept insisting, so she followed them out of the forest and into the meadow.

There, her beloved Lars stood tall among the plethora of flowers, holding a crown of red, white, and pink peonies. Viveka gazed into his hazel eyes as he carefully placed it onto her head. She beamed up at him and caressed his smiling face before threading her fingers through his short brown hair. Lars held her close to his strong, broad chest and bestowed her lips with a sweet, tender kiss that left her breathless.