The days that followed Sam's disappearance stretched into weeks, and then months. The once vibrant village of Evermore, which had sung with laughter and love, now stood silent. The villagers who had once whispered about Sam's humble beginnings and his bond with Lily now whispered about the sea its depths, its treacherous ways, and its silence.
Lily refused to accept the truth that everyone else seemed to have already embraced: that Sam was gone. She had heard the villagers talk, some with pity in their voices, others with a quiet sense of finality. But Lily couldn't let go. Not yet.
Every morning, she would rise before the sun and walk to the cliffside, where she and Sam had shared so many dreams. She would stand there, eyes trained on the horizon, searching the endless stretch of water for any sign of him. But there was nothing just the undisturbed expanse of sea and sky. Sometimes, she thought she could hear his voice, faint and lost in the wind. But each time she would turn, only the sound of the waves would greet her.
The first few days, Lily had been surrounded by her family and friends, their concern palpable. But as the days turned into weeks, they began to pull back, and the reality of his disappearance began to settle over her like an inescapable fog.
Her father, ever the steady force in her life, had finally broken down. He sat beside her one evening, his face worn with exhaustion. "Lily," he said, his voice trembling, "you have to let him go."
"No," Lily replied firmly, her eyes fixed on the water. "I won't. He's out there, I know it."
But her father just sighed. "The sea does not give back what it takes."
Lily didn't answer. She couldn't. What was there to say? Her heart clung to the impossible hope that Sam would return, that the sea would somehow, someday, spit him back out, like it had with so many others. But the days continued to pass, and with each one, her hope began to feel like an anchor pulling her deeper into the dark waters of grief.
----
Two years passed in a blur of seasons. The people of Evermore had long since given up the search for Sam. His parents, heartbroken and resigned, had moved away, unable to bear the constant reminders of their son's absence. Some of the villagers had even stopped mentioning his name. It was as though Sam had never existed at all, swallowed by the very thing that had always been his closest companion.
Lily, however, never stopped looking. Every day, she walked the shores, sometimes even swimming out a little farther than she should, calling his name into the waves. But each time, she returned empty-handed.
Her once radiant spirit had dimmed. Her laughter, which had once echoed through the village, was now a memory. Her days were filled with a quiet routine: waking, searching, returning to the cliffside, praying for some sign. The shell Sam had given her, the one that had always felt like a lifeline, now felt heavy in her palm. She had stopped wearing it around her neck, but she never let go of it completely. She carried it with her everywhere, like a secret she wasn't ready to reveal.
---
And then, on a day like any other, word came that the prince was returning.
The news traveled fast, as all news did in Evermore. The prince, who had been away for so long, had decided to return, and his ship would dock in the harbor at sunset. The villagers were curious, wondering what had brought him back after so many years. Some of the older villagers speculated that he had heard of Lily's ongoing sorrow and wanted to offer his condolences. Others whispered that he had come back to claim her as his bride, now that Sam was lost to them forever.
Lily had heard the rumors, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her heart was still tethered to Sam, to the sea. She had no place for anyone else, not even the prince.
As the sun dipped low in the sky, Lily stood at the cliffside once more, as she had done so many times before. But this time, something was different. A long ship could be seen on the horizon, its sails billowing in the wind. The villagers, already gathered by the shore, cheered, their voices rising in excitement. The prince was home.
Lily didn't move. She couldn't. She felt numb, her eyes fixed on the ship as it drew closer. What did it matter? What was his return to her, when Sam was still gone?
The ship docked with the quiet elegance of a long-awaited arrival. The prince, tall and regal, stepped onto the dock. His eyes scanned the crowd, but when they landed on Lily, they softened. He took a step toward her, his face the picture of understanding.
"Lily," he called softly.
She turned to face him, her heart heavy. He had always been kind to her, even before Sam. But kindness was not what she needed now.
"Your Highness," she replied, her voice distant.
He stepped closer. "I've heard about your pain. And I've heard that the man you loved is lost to you. I can't pretend to know the depth of your sorrow, but I've returned because I want to offer you comfort."
Lily's gaze dropped to the ground. "I don't need comfort," she whispered, barely audible over the sound of the waves. "I need Sam."
The prince hesitated but then gently took her hand. "Lily, please. You've waited for two years. You've mourned him long enough. I am here now. I've come to offer you a future, one that can bring you peace. I want to marry you, Lily."
Lily pulled her hand back, her chest tightening. She shook her head. "I can't. I can't marry you. Not when my heart belongs to someone else."
The prince sighed. "I understand your pain. I truly do. But I cannot let you waste away in this endless waiting. You must move forward, Lily. You must find the courage to live again. And I swear, I will spend my life making you happy."
Lily looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion and pain. She saw the sincerity in his eyes. She knew he cared for her. But could she really let go of Sam?
"Please, Lily," the prince pleaded. "You owe it to yourself to live. You owe it to your family. You owe it to Evermore."
Lily felt a deep ache in her chest. She had tried for so long to believe in Sam's return, but every day without him had felt like a knife in her soul. The prince was offering her a future, a life without the constant ache of waiting, of hoping. Maybe it was time to accept what had been lost and find peace again.
"I…" she began, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I can."
The prince knelt before her, his eyes never leaving hers. "You don't have to know right now. But I will be here, waiting, when you are ready."
Lily took a deep breath, her mind swirling with uncertainty. She had always thought of the future as something that belonged to Sam and her a future built on shared dreams, on the promise of love. But now, that future seemed so far away, like a dream that was slipping through her fingers.
As the sun sank below the horizon, Lily finally spoke, her voice quiet but resolute.
"I will marry you, Your Highness. If only to find peace."
And so, the prince's return had marked the beginning of a new chapter in Lily's life, one filled with uncertainty, but also with the faintest glimmer of hope.
She felt guilty in her heart but she decided to let go of Sam....