The king began the next tale with a wistful smile, his gaze lingering on the flickering flames in the hearth.
"Tonight," he said, "I will tell you the story of Parvaneh, the Pari who became known as the Moonlit Bride. Her name, like her destiny, means 'butterfly,' and her beauty was said to shine brightest under the light of a full moon."
The princess leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "A butterfly beneath the moon… what was her story?"
The king's voice softened as he began. "Parvaneh lived near a great kingdom that held a festival every year to honor the moon. People would gather in the royal gardens on the night of the full moon, wearing silver and white, their laughter and music carrying into the night. Parvaneh, drawn by the beauty of the celebration, would secretly watch from the shadows of the forest. She had always been careful to avoid being seen—until the year she met Prince Darius."
The princess tilted her head. "What made that night different?"
"The moon was unusually radiant that night, and the festival even grander than before," the king explained. "Prince Darius, known for his kindness and charm, had just returned from a victorious campaign. The people celebrated not just the moon, but their beloved prince. Parvaneh, curious about the man who had inspired such joy, stepped closer than she ever had before. For a moment, she forgot herself, enchanted by the music and the dancing lights. And that was when Prince Darius saw her."
The princess gasped. "Did he know she was a Pari?"
"No," the king said. "All he saw was a young woman of extraordinary beauty, her silver hair glinting in the moonlight and her eyes shimmering like starlit pools. She seemed to him like a vision, too perfect to be real. Yet, when he approached her, she did not vanish. Instead, she smiled—a smile that would forever change both their lives."
The princess clasped her hands together. "What did they say to each other?"
"Darius introduced himself, though he felt unworthy to speak to someone so radiant," the king continued. "Parvaneh, flustered by the attention, gave only her name. They talked as if no one else existed, their words flowing as naturally as the river meets the sea. For the first time in her immortal life, Parvaneh felt truly seen—not as a Pari, but as a person. When the prince asked her to dance, she hesitated, knowing the risk, but her heart would not let her refuse."
The princess smiled faintly. "And they danced under the moonlight."
"They did," the king said. "And as they danced, Darius fell deeply in love with her. He had never met anyone like her—graceful, mysterious, and full of a quiet strength. By the end of the night, he asked her to stay with him, to come to the palace as his guest. But Parvaneh, knowing what she was and what it would mean to stay, fled before dawn, leaving him heartbroken."
"Did he search for her?" the princess asked.
"Relentlessly," the king replied. "He sent messengers across the land, describing her beauty and pleading for any news of her. But no one had seen her—except for the moon, which seemed to mock him each night, reminding him of the woman he had lost. Darius, unable to forget her, returned to the forest where they had first met. He waited night after night, hoping she would appear again."
The princess's eyes sparkled. "Did she?"
"Eventually, her heart could bear the separation no longer," the king said. "She came to him, confessing the truth of what she was—a Pari, bound by immortality but cursed by love. She told him that to stay with him, she would have to give up her eternal life, and that if they had a daughter, it would mean her death. Darius, though saddened by the cost, told her he would rather have one fleeting lifetime with her than an eternity without her."
The princess's voice was barely a whisper. "And she chose love."
"She did," the king said. "Parvaneh and Darius were married under the same full moon that had brought them together. Their love was a thing of legend, celebrated across the kingdom. For years, they lived happily, and when Parvaneh bore him a daughter, they named her Mahin, after the moon that had guided their fates. Parvaneh, as with all Pari who chose love, grew weaker with each passing day, but she did not regret her choice."
The princess wiped away a tear. "What happened to Darius after she… after she was gone?"
"He ruled with wisdom and compassion, honoring the memory of his moonlit bride in every decision he made," the king said. "He raised their daughter to be strong and kind, teaching her of the love that had brought her into the world. And though he lived to see many more moons, none shone as brightly as the one that had brought him Parvaneh."
The princess sat quietly for a long moment, her thoughts drifting to the moon outside their own window. "Parvaneh’s love was like her name," she said softly. "Delicate and fleeting, but unforgettable."
The king nodded. "Yes, my dear. And though her time was brief, her love left an eternal mark on those who knew her. That is the power of love—it turns even the shortest of lives into something timeless."