Atem watched Persona play with the sprites as regret plagued his mind and heart. If he had the ability to go back in time, he would've gone back to that royal christening and spare Persona of such a dreadful fate.

"Yami, are you alright?"

Atem snapped out of his thoughts and sees Persona standing in front of him with a worried expression. 

"Y-yes! I'm fine." Atem lied, walking the opposite direction. Persona follows him.

"So, do all Fair people have wings?" Persona asked Atem, changing the subject. 

"Most do."

"Then why don't you? All the other fairies fly."

"I had wings once, but they were stolen from me along with someone I care about deeply." Atem stops walking and faces Persona. "That's all I wish to say about it."

"What were they like?" Persona's eyes were filled with curiosity. "Were they big?"

"My wings were black as night and they were so big that they dragged behind me when I walked. And they were strong. They could carry me above the clouds and into the headwinds. They never faltered, not even once. I could always trust them."

"And..." Persona was hesitant to ask her next question. "Who was this person you deeply cared about?"

Atem really didn't want to talk about Maleficent because of the painful memories, but Atem feels like he can tell Persona anything. He took a deep breath before answering. 

"Her name was Maleficent. She had long dark hair that reached her hips, her skin was white as freshly fallen snow, and her lips were as red as a cherry. Her wings were just like mine, but they were close to the color of chestnuts. Her horns were longer than my own horns. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever met and she stole my heart before I knew it." Atem lowered his head to hide the sadness in his eyes. "However, she was in love with someone else and didn't return my feelings. Then...before I knew it...she was..."

Recalling the horrible memory of seeing Maleficent's dead body made him close his eyes shut to keep himself from breaking down. He felt Persona gently place her hand on his chest where his heart is. He opened his eyes, which were now brimming with tears, and looked at Persona. She was giving him an apologetic look.

"It's alright..." Her voice was soft and gentle. The tone she was using was telling Atem that he didn't have to continue. 

Persona was acting so sincere. Atem wanted to put his arms around her and never let her go, but he couldn't. Instead, he gently moves her hand away and walked away. He made sure to get rid of the tears that managed to fall before she noticed. 

On Persona's birthday, Atem decided to tell her the truth.

"Persona, there's something I need to tell you." Atem says, looking solemn.

"What is it?" Persona asked as she sat next to him on hill. She frowned when she noticed Atem's depressed expression. 

"There is an evil in this world, and I cannot keep you from it."

Persona gave Atem a reassuring smile and took his hand.

"Yami, I'm 16 now. I can take care of myself."

Atem caresses Persona's face with his other hand. 

"I understand, but that's not what I have to tell you."

"I have a plan." Persona interrupts him. "When I'm older, I'm going to live here in the Moors with you. Then we can look after each other."

After Persona said that, a little bit of hope sparked inside Atem. 

"You don't have to wait until you're older. You can live here now. 

"Really?" Atem nodded and Persona gave him a huge smile. "Then I will."

She quickly got up, and started to daydream about her life in the Moors as she looks at the view in front of her. 

"I'll sleep in a tree, and eat berries and nuts, and all the Fair people would be my friend. I'll be happy here for the rest of my life. I'm going to tell my sisters tomorrow." Atem grabs her hand and kisses it without thinking, making Persona blush. 

"Until tomorrow." Atem says. 

Persona hurries home with a huge smile on her face and her heart continuously skipped a beat. 

As Persona returns home, she practices on how she was going to tell her sisters that she wants to live in the Moors. Atem watches her from afar. He never got to tell her about the curse and that he was the one to inflict it on her. What would she do when she learns the truth? Will she forgive him?

"True love's kiss."

Atem turns around to see Mana standing in with a serious hopeful look on her face. She got quite comfortable in her human form more than in her original form.

"What?" Atem asked, hoping that he heard Mana wrong.

"True love's kiss can break the spell, remember?" Mana replied.

Atem gave Mana a fake arrogant smile. His arms are crossed. 

"Have you not worked it out yet? I cursed her that way because there is no such thing."

Mana's eyes widened when she heard what her master had said. She knew that Atem had hidden feelings for Persona.

"What about Persona? Are you just going to abandon her to a terrible fate you brought her? I know you love her and I know she feels the same way!"

After hearing that, Atem didn't want to hear anymore of his friend's words despite the hurtful truth in them. He raised his hand to change her into something, but Mana stopped him.

"Go ahead. Turn me into whatever you want. A bird, a mouse. I don't care anymore. The only thing I care about is Persona's wellbeing. And I know you do too."

With that said, Mana walks away, leaving Atem with his regrets. If he'd know that he was going to fall in love with Persona, he would've never given her that curse. He has no right to love her after what he had done.

To Be Continued...