"Leon!" Briar cried, dropping to her knees beside the fallen prince. Leon lay motionless, his skin turning an eerie shade of blue, and his breathing was shallow and labored.

Theodore rushed to Leon's side, his bag clinking as he knelt and quickly checked the prince's pulse. His brow furrowed with concern. "He's alive, but the poison is spreading fast. It's incredibly strong," he said.

Briar turned her fiery gaze toward the serpent. "Why did you bite him?" she yelled, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and helplessness.

The snake lifted its five heads. "You said you wanted to prove he is your true love," he hissed. "You wanted the flower."

Briar's mind raced, but all she could think of was Leon and how to save him. "Just suck your poison out of him," she pleaded.

"I can't do anything," the snake replied, shaking all five heads simultaneously. "It's like an arrow. Once shot, it never returns. But you can help him."

"How?" Briar asked desperately, her eyes widening as she watched Leon's face, now a deepening shade of blue.

The middle head of the snake shot forward, its narrow eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "That's my favorite part," he said gleefully. His forked tongue flicked out. "The mermaid king once ordered me to bite Elvis. I did. But when Eira kissed him, he woke up, alive. If the boy is your true love, kiss him, and the poison will not harm him. Hence, it will be proven he is your true love, and you will get the flower."

Briar's eyes widened in disbelief. "He needs medicine! Like an anti-venom or something. Not a kiss."

"Only an act of true love can save him," the snake said smugly, his many eyes narrowing with twisted amusement. "Don't you know love is the best medicine?" The snake chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Briar's spine. "And if you want the anti-venom," the snake continued, nodding toward the dark, churning sea in the distance, "it's inside the sea. Go get it. But I won't be to blame if he dies before you return."

"Kiss him, Princess," Knight urged.

"I don't think it will help him," Briar said doubtfully, her eyes filling with tears as she watched Leon's body convulse. She clutched his cold hands, her heart aching with fear.

"It's magic," Knight insisted. "Don't make it more complicated. Just kiss the prince."

Briar looked down at Leon, lying on the cold, hard ground, his body shaking with pain. What if it didn't work? What if she couldn't save him? What if he died?

"I don't like him that much, but didn't he once save you from the sleeping curse?" Knight reminded her.

"Yes, he did," Briar answered.

"He came with you to this dangerous forest to help you, despite the risks," Knight added. "To stand by your side."

Briar nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes, he did."

"Just kiss him," Knight urged again.

"Sometimes, magic works better than medicine," Theodore said.

"Just kiss him," Knight repeated.

Briar felt frozen, her mind a whirlwind of fear and doubt. "What if he...?" she whispered, her voice trailing off as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Knight pushed her closer to Leon. "Trust in your love," he said softly. "Do it now."

Briar took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She loved Leon so much. She prayed silently for a miracle as she leaned down toward Leon, her lips trembling. She kissed him gently, her lips meeting his cold, soft ones. She held on for a few precious seconds, hoping, praying for the magic to work, and then leaned back, her heart racing with anticipation and fear.

They all waited, their breaths held in tense silence. The prince didn't move.

Seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity. Still, nothing happened.

Briar's heart tightened with despair. "Where's your magic?" she screamed at the snake, her voice filled with anguish.

"There," the snake said calmly, nodding toward Leon. "Your generation has no patience."

Briar turned her eyes back to Leon. Slowly, miraculously, the blue tinge of poison began to fade from his skin. The color returned to his cheeks, a healthy flush replacing the deathly pallor. The prince's eyes fluttered open, confusion filling his gaze.

"What happened?" Leon asked, struggling to sit up. He touched his forehead, wincing slightly. "Did the snake bite me?"

"It is proven," the snake declared with a sly smile. "You two are true loves. Your kiss has saved him."

"You kissed me?" Leon asked. He looked at Briar, his eyes wide. Briar's gaze darted away, avoiding his. "Really?"

"You didn't want me to?" Briar asked.

"Yes... No... I mean, yes. I want you to kiss me." Leon took a deep breath, the color returning to his cheeks. "Or maybe I would have died, I guess."

Briar shook her head, exasperated. Boys were so confused. She whirled to face the snake. "What if he didn't wake up? What if he had died?"

"Then you would have no flower," the snake responded simply, its many heads nodding in unison. "Now take it."

The giant snake slithered back, its scales rustling against the ground as it moved, making space for Briar to stand under the ancient, gnarled tree that held the precious flower. The princess raised her hands, and a single, delicate bloom drifted down, landing softly in her palm. It felt magical, a gentle warmth spreading from the flower to her hand. The petals were smooth and hard, like glass. She wouldn't have been surprised if the flower was made of pure crystal.

"Do something useful with it," the snake said, its voice fading as it slithered back into the shadows of the tree, the leaves rustling softly as it disappeared.

Briar stood there for a moment, cradling the flower in her hands, her heart filled with relief. She had the flower, and she had saved Leon.

"His venom seems exceptionally strong," Theodore observed. "I wish I could collect a sample of it to study its properties."

"Theodore, you have no true love to kiss you awake," Knight teased, flicking his tail and letting out a playful snort.

Theodore sighed wistfully, his eyes clouded with a hint of sadness. "No, I suppose I don't."

Knight seemed reluctant to leave the mystical island, and the horse had a greedy curiosity to explore every nook and cranny. His hooves danced eagerly on the rocky ground as he contemplated their next destination. But when he realized that Fairyland was their next stop, his eyes brightened with excitement, and he couldn't hide his anticipation.

"I haven't visited Fairyland in months!" Knight said, his voice brimming with joy. "I can't wait to see all my old friends, bathe in the crystal waterfalls and feast on the giant apples that grow there."

Briar shared his excitement, her heart pounding with anticipation. She only needed one more magical artifact to break the curse. She wished Knight could fly faster.

"Prince Leon," Theodore said. "How did you feel when the snake bit you? What kind of pain did you experience?"

Leon touched his forehead where the bite marks had almost disappeared. "I felt... nothing. No pain at all. It was as if I just... fell asleep suddenly. It was strange."

"Powerful magic," Theodore mused.

"Honestly, that stupid snake," Briar grumbled. "What if we weren't true loves?"

"You always seem to doubt that," Leon said, his voice softening with a hint of sadness. "Do you think the fairy who blessed us made a mistake?"

"I didn't mean it that way," Briar said quickly, her eyes earnest. "You know how these blessings and curses work—they always have loopholes. I just thought it was all connected to the sleeping curse. But anyway, I'm glad you're with me, and glad that you're my true love." She smiled warmly at him.

"You mean that?" Leon asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes," Briar laughed. "Or else I wouldn't have gotten the flower."

Leon's expression softened, and he let out a sigh of relief.

"But I'm serious," Briar continued, turning to face him fully. "Now that I've seen you nearly die, I need to tell you this. Because of you, I survived in the Midnight Forest. You've been a constant support. You're brave, loyal, generous, and you have a kind heart."

"You forgot to mention handsome," Leon said with a playful grin.

Briar rolled her eyes at him, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Handsome or whatever."

Leon's grin faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "But you said I'm not smart and that I always get us into trouble."

"I said that so you wouldn't follow me to the dragon's cave," she explained. "But you did anyway."

"Oh," Leon said, looking a bit sheepish. "I thought you thought I was stupid."

"No, you're the best," she said sincerely, her eyes meeting his.

"Well, you're the best," Leon replied, his smile returning.

"See, the love magic of this island is already working on you two," Knight chuckled. "Look over there—a cloud shaped like a heart."

They all turned to look, but the clouds were not heart-shaped. The setting sun bathed them in shades of red, orange, and purple, casting a beautiful, otherworldly glow. Below them, they saw sprawling farmlands, vast fields of corn, and quaint little villages, their roofs shimmering in the fading light.

"We should reach Fairyland by midnight," Theodore said, his eyes scanning the horizon. "I've visited the fairy godmother there twice."

"You know, Theodore, sometimes I'm a bit jealous of you," Briar said. "You've traveled to so many amazing places."

Theodore laughed heartily, the sound echoing across the open sky. "It's one perk of being a healer."

"We're going to Fairyland! We're going to Fairyland!" Knight chanted.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving a dim twilight in its wake, stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky. They flew over rugged terrain, the ground below them a patchwork of crags and deep crevices.

Suddenly, Knight shuddered, his wings beating erratically. The group clutched each other, trying to steady themselves as the horse vibrated uncontrollably.

"What's happening, Knight?" Theodore asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Knight flapped his wings harder, his body trembling as if struggling against an invisible force. "Something's pulling me down," he said, his voice panicked and strained.

Briar's eyes widened in fear. "Are you okay, Knight?"

"I don't know!" Knight cried, his wings beating frantically. "I can't control it!"

Before they could grasp what was happening, Knight's wings stopped mid-flap, and the horse went limp, his body losing all tension. With a sudden lurch, they were plummeting toward the rocky ground below, the wind howling in their ears as they fell at a terrifying speed.

___