Song of the Wind God

In the days that followed, the Wind God kept his promise to the girl and appeared outside the balcony every night. The maids and guards who served in the castle for many years would later recall that summer when a gentle breeze blew every night. But what they didn't know was that at the highest point of the castle, two young people were enjoying the most pleasant and comfortable evening breeze every night, chatting freely.

Besides telling the girl about the things he had seen and heard outside, the boy would often bring her small gifts, such as a clearly veined red leaf or a dew-covered petal. This was because the girl had expressed a desire to see the trees and flowers from afar. Sometimes, he would even travel to distant places, such as the glaciers standing on the far horizon or the oceans surrounding the world beyond the horizon, just to bring back scents the girl had never had the chance to smell. These precious scents allowed her to imagine the vastness of the world.

To be honest, it was quite tiring for the Wind God to travel such long distances every day to bring back these scents while carefully sealing them with air currents to prevent them from dispersing midway. But as long as he could see the genuine smile on her face, all the effort was worth it.

The girl wished to give the boy a gift in return, but since he was the Wind, the precious treasures a princess could offer were too heavy for him to carry. "Then sing me a song," the boy said. "That's something the wind can always carry with it." The girl blushed and lowered her head with a smile. When she looked up again, she began to sing. Her voice was clear and melodious. Compared to the sorrow and melancholy of the past, it now carried a touch of joy and comfort.

The boy would always listen, entranced. In the past thousands of years, he had always thought that the greatest joy in the world was to run freely without stopping. He had never imagined that finding someone who made him willing to stop could bring the same happiness.

Unfortunately, happy times always pass quickly, just like that summer of gentle breezes. On a late summer night, the boy arrived as usual, but the girl on the balcony no longer wore her usual joyful expression. Instead, her face was full of worry. "After tonight, please..." the girl whispered, "...don't come to see me anymore." Her uncle, the king, had arranged a marriage with the prince of a neighboring country to establish good relations after years of war. The wedding was imminent, meaning she was about to be married off to a distant castle and become a stranger's wife. The situation in the neighboring country was more complicated and dangerous, and she feared she wouldn't even have the freedom to be alone on a small balcony each night.

The boy was stunned by this sudden change. His mind was in turmoil, and in his impulsiveness, he blurted out, "Then I'll go with you!" He was willing to chase after her for a lifetime, to stay around another castle and never leave. Even if it meant going against the nature of the wind and sacrificing his divine powers until he eventually died, he was willing.

But the girl refused. Many days ago, she had noticed the increasingly weakened air currents around him. Staying with her for a summer was probably his limit. "You are the wind, the free wind. You shouldn't and can't stop," the girl said softly, her tone complex, unclear if it was a laugh or a sigh. "If I can't gain freedom, then please... go see the world for me." Don't worry about me. No matter where I am confined, I still have the memories of the summer we spent together. This beauty and warmth are enough to light up the rest of my life.

The boy silently watched the girl as she stood alone in the wind, her long hair and skirt fluttering. She looked so lonely and desolate that he wanted to walk over and give her a hug. But there was nothing he could do. The Wind God had no physical form, and he couldn't give her a real embrace. He could only stand still, quietly listening to her sing a song for him, the same one he heard when they first met.

Though it was the same song, it sounded different. Perhaps it was because both the singer and the listener now bore the marks of love in their hearts. As she sang, tears finally began to roll uncontrollably from her eyes, and she choked up, unable to continue.

A gentle breeze rose around her, like a tender lover reaching out, the air currents gently brushing her cheeks, drying the falling tears in the wind. "Whenever you want to cry in the future, just stand on the balcony or open the window," the boy said, looking directly at the girl, making the promise he couldn't say earlier. "If you cry again, let the wind dry your tears."

The girl gazed at him for a long time, finally showing a relieved smile, and solemnly nodded, agreeing to this promise. From now on, no matter where she went, as long as there was a breeze, it was as if the boy was still by her side. As for the boy, he would always carry her song in the wind, fulfilling her wish and exploring every inch of the world.

******

On the day the princess was married off, the procession was grand, and the prince's entourage stretched a long way down the road in front of the castle. Dressed in a white wedding gown, the girl stood on the high balcony, not looking at the road where the prince walked but gazing at the forest and rivers beyond the castle, and the mountains and sunrise further away. The places of freedom she could never reach would always have the wind blowing.

The girl threw her handkerchief into the air. It spread out in the air, held aloft by the wind, rolling and turning, refusing to fall. Suddenly, a strong wind rose, returning the handkerchief to the girl's hand, and her wedding dress and long hair were blown high into the air. In the next moment, the familiar figure appeared before her.

The boy, no, at this moment it was more fitting to call him the Wind God, surrounded by an unprecedentedly fierce air current, swirling chaotically around him, making the surrounding air hiss and roar. Everything on the balcony was blown askew, and the girl had to crouch down to barely stand steady. On the road in front of the castle, the prince's procession was already in disarray, scattered by the even more violent wind.

The Wind God extended his hand to the girl, "Do you want to come with me?" See the vast world with me, never stopping, enjoying complete freedom until the end of time. Even if we can never share a real kiss or a real hug in this life. But at least I have your song, and you have my wind.

The girl was initially stunned but soon broke into a radiant smile. She lifted her skirt and stepped onto the balcony railing, leaping toward the Wind God. There were gasps from the people below the castle. In the next moment, countless objects were blown up by the mighty wind, obscuring the view. The wind was so strong and fierce that it darkened the sky and land for miles, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

After a long while, the wind gradually subsided, and people crawled out from their shelters, looking at each other in shock. No one was hurt, except the princess was missing. No one ever saw her again.

But for a long time afterward, a legend persisted in that land. Whenever you walk into a beautiful place, please quiet your heart and carefully listen to the sound of the wind passing by. It will surely be melodious and pleasant because it carries the happy song of the Wind God's bride. The wind never stops, and neither does love.