Stone by Day, Love by Night

rning sun began to stretch across the sky. He could feel it already-the cold tightening in his limbs, creeping u

he had simply woken, and the sun had not only burned away the night but his very freedom as well. By day, he was nothing more than a statue, a monument of stone standing rigidly in the

nsformation slowly, inexorably taking hold. He could hear the distant hum of the castle, the hustle and bustle of his kingdom continuing as if nothing were wrong

-grew wild and unkempt. Their petals shimmered faintly in the early morning light, their fragran

s, no silk gown like the ladies of his court. Her clothes were simple-earthy tones of brown and green, a stark contrast to the gleaming castle walls behind her. Bu

rd, that the transformation began to take hold of him fully. The last vestige of his human war

day. But something about the gardener's presence kept him rooted to the spot. Perhaps it was the way she worked so tirelessly, lost in the rhythm of

the castle grounds for centuries. The garden was more than just a place of beauty-it was said that the roses held st

rpose, she remained quiet, focused only on her work. Her gentle hands caressed the petals with a tender

the sun crested fully over the horizon, he would turn to stone, unable to move, to speak,

Her eyes met his for the briefest of moments, and for the first time in weeks, Alistair felt something stir within him-a flicker of reco

feel his body lock, the stone replacing flesh, his breath no longer able to draw. His vision blurred a

around him-nobles strolling by, birds chirping, the sounds of the kingdom continuing as they always did. Bu

nsformation reversed. His body began to soften, the stone receding as warmth returned to his

ara wa

her gaze. She had noticed him, truly noticed him, for the first time. He couldn't

ps, just perhaps, she was more than just a gardener. Perhaps she

he would find a