Long ago ,there was a woodcutter by the name of Richard, who lived deep into the forest. He lived by himself ever since his parents passed away when he was 15 years old. He usually spends most of his time deep inside the forest and visited the town occasionally to sell some of his extra woods.
One day, while walking pass a river. He saw a beautiful girl washing her face along the banks of the river. She had a tiara on her head which emphasized on her beauty. Richard was stunned by her beauty, her elegance. The girl turned around and saw Richard staring at her, she blushed. Her fair skin color was replaced by a soft shade of pink, the blushing somehow accentuated her beauty. Richard found himself smitten with her looks, her actions. The girl slowly walked towards Richard. She introduced herself with a soft smile, : "Hello , My name is Melody." "I happen to lose my way around these woods and was wondering if you point out the way home for me."
Richard was dumbfounded, her voice sounded like an unchained melody coming from a flute. After awhile, he got back to his senses and pointed out the way for her. As he watched her silhouette disappear from behind the trees, his heart sunk like an anchor to the bottom of the sea.
Few days later, he heard a soft melody coming from the river and he decided to investigate the source of it. He saw Melody singing softly while playing the harp. Richard sat on a rock not far away silently and kept as quiet as he could as he did not want to disrupt the pulchritude of the song. Melody soon made friends with Richard on that day and they talked about almost everything in the world. Richard found out that Melody was a princess from a nearby city called Balian. Melody was easy going and didn't mind the lowly status of Richard even though she was a princess. Soon it was time for the lovely princess to head home back to her castle. She left as silently as she came while promising to visit Richard some day soon.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. There was still no sign of Melody. Just as Richard was about to give up, she came back. She still looked the same, only prettier. Richard once again spent the entire day talking to her. He found out that she had a guy whom she liked. And she had spent the past few months with him. She was happy with him initially, but somehow he changed and started ill-treating her. She spent her next few days talking about how the guy ill-treated her and how she longed for a perfect guy for her. As usual, she disappeared after a few days and Richard was once again left alone.
After 1 month, Melody came back and told Richard that she was going away for quite some time. She found a guy whom she thought was her perfect love. And she was going to spend every single minute with him. So she will have no time for Richard and that she didn't wanted her love to find out that she was talking to another guy. So it was goodbye for Richard and Melody. They both said goodbye to each other and then she left. Even though Richard was smiling on the outside. His heart went out to Melody, he wanted her to be happy. But every time she would be heart broken by what she thought was the perfect love. He enjoyed every single day spent with her. He enjoyed listening to her sweet voice. He enjoyed looking at her foolish grin. He enjoyed seeing her smile after their little conversation. He wanted so much to be the perfect prince for this lovely princess. But deep inside, he know he can never be a prince. He is just an ordinary woodcutter. Someone insignificant in the princess's life. Someone who would be forgotten as though it was an unwanted memory. As he thought back to the times they spent together. He realized how reluctant he was to let go of those memories. But he told himself that there was no point staying and wait. And so he left, leaving his heart and those sweet memories behind. Hoping that the princess will come back and find them.
Weeks later, Melody came back with tears and hoping Richard will make her happy once again. But all she could find was an empty house full of roses inside. She remembered that she told Richard about how much she loves roses. And how seeing a rose always cheers her up. But she always complained that there were thorns at the stems of the roses. And she always asked, : "If life is so fair, then why do roses have thorns?" Thus Richard removed all the thorns before giving it to Melody. And he always got his fingers cut by the thorns and knife. But Melody never noticed it before. Richard told her that this was a new species of roses. He wanted her to have a new perspective in life. So far she had received 3 stalks of roses from Richard. One was from the first time they met, the second was the time when she talked to Richard about her first love and the last was when they parted ways.
Now as she looked into Richards' home, she saw hundreds and hundreds of white and red roses hanging upon the walls of the empty house. A small letter was displayed on the table beside a cloth handkerchief. Melody opened up the letter and started reading :

My dearest Princess,

by the time you read this letter. I'll be gone far away, perhaps to a place where you can't find me. I know I may not mean anything to you but a friend. And I know you'll get over this matter very soon. But I've got some confessions to be made to you. Do you remember I told you how I wished I was a prince too? Well, I wanted to be a prince so that I can take care of you. So that I can marry you to be my wife. But I guess I can never become a prince, your prince. I am just contented being a woodcutter. At least I can share your joy, your pain and your tears. Many times I held back my words, this I regretted painfully. How I wished I can have to courage to tell you how much I love you. How I wish you can forgive your status as a princess and be with me. But I cannot be that selfish, that's why I left. For your good and my good.
These roses represents the number of days you've known each other. Hope you can remember me for who I am and not who I can never be. I'm sorry for lying about the roses, I just wanted you to be happy.

With love,
Richard

Her tears streamed down her face as the letter fell. That was when she saw the blood stained handkerchief beside the letter and the pile of thorns lying on the floor. She turned and took a closer look at every single one of the roses and she noticed that all of the white roses were stained with spots of blood, Richards' blood. She broke down and cried, all the while she was searching for someone who was actually right beside her. Her faithful listener, someone who never gave up on her. Someone who was always here for her. But now he's gone. And it was all too late for her.
She turned around and ran for the door. Maybe she could still catch up with him. Just as she approached the door, she heard footsteps. Richard is coming back, she thought. But it turned out to be one of her guards.
"We found a sick man lying on the forest grounds," the guard reported. "It appears that he is seriously sick." Another one of the guards appeared out of the bushes holding a unconscious man. It was Richard. Melody rushed over and held his hand. He was still alive, still breathing.
"Oh, Richard. Please don't die. Don't leave me alone," Melody whispered in Richards' ears.
"Melody? Is that you?" Richard replied with a weak voice.
"Princess Melody, it appears that he contracted an infection from the wounds on his hands," the guards pointed at his fingers and palms.
"Call the doctor here now!" Melody commanded. She wanted Richard back in her life. Back to way it were, except that she will never leave him again.
"My lovely princess, it's too late. I fear I'm leaving you soon. Finally it's my turn to leave you." He attempted a soft laugh but started coughing in a fit instead.
"No, you won't go. I love you Richard. Please stay with me." Melody could no longer hold back her tears.
"Hush now, don't cry. You still have a long way to go. I'm just another person who will come and go in your life." Richard began to have difficulty breathing.
"I'm happy knowing that you love me too. Some people search forever to find their perfect soul mates. I'm glad that I found you that soon, but it's a pity that I have to leave you now. So be strong and know that I'll always be in your heart." He reached out his hands to touched her face and smiled.
Then his hands fell. He was gone. Melody bent over and kissed Richard softly on the lips.
"I am forever thankful to you, for you taught me what is true love." Melody looked up in the sky and whispered a silent prayer for Richard. "I love you."