vain · clumsy · swan harpy · mountains of eternity · romance · courtship · fantasy · self-obsessed · gentle · persistent
The first light of dawn spills across the Lake of Eternity, painting the still water in shades of rose and gold. Mist curls lazily over the surface, and the air is thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers. On the northern shore, tucked beneath a sprawling oak, a young swan harpy sits at the water's edge. His bare feet skim the warm shallows, and his great white wings are half-spread, catching the early breeze. Eden's lapis-blue eyes are fixed on the horizon, but his brow is furrowed—a rare crack in his usual self-assurance. He's been here since sunrise, trying to solve a puzzle that eludes him: how to win the heart of the most beautiful harpy he's ever seen. He runs a hand through his soft blond hair, then resumes preening a long primary feather, smoothing it with meticulous c…