00:08Once upon a time, in a kingdom bathed in eternal spring, lived a young prince named Eli-
00:14His heart belonged to Princess Lyra, whose beauty was as renowned as her wisdom.
00:20With Valentine's Day just around the corner, a wave of anxiety washed over the prince.
00:26What gift could possibly capture the depth of his affection for someone so extraordinary?
00:32He wanted something more than just a present.
00:34He wanted a symbol of his love, something truly priceless.
00:39His first idea was grand, as befitted a prince.
00:43He summoned the finest jewelers in the land and commissioned a heart-shaped diamond the size of a clenched fist.
00:50It was flawless, catching the sunlight and shattering it into a thousand rainbows.
00:56The gem was so magnificent that it seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
01:00Surely, this was a gift worthy of Lyra.
01:04He placed it in a velvet box and made his way to the princess's private garden, his own heart thumping
01:11with anticipation.
01:12Princess Lyra was tending to her moon petal roses when Alaric arrived.
01:16She greeted him with a warm smile that made his heart sore.
01:20He knelt before her, presenting the open box.
01:24The diamond flared with brilliant light, a star captured on earth.
01:29For you, my dearest Lyra, he said, his voice filled with hope.
01:35A token of my love!
01:37Lyra looked at the diamond, her expression thoughtful.
01:40She gently touched its cold, smooth surface.
01:44It is magnificent, Alaric, she said softly.
01:48Truly a work of art, but it is not invaluable.
01:51The prince was taken aback.
01:54Not invaluable, but it is the rarest diamond in the world.
01:59It cost a fortune.
02:01Lyra shook her head, her gaze kind.
02:03Anything that can be bought with gold, no matter how much, has a price.
02:09My heart seeks something that money cannot measure.
02:12Thank you for the thought, but I cannot accept this.
02:16Dejected, Prince Alaric returned to his castle, the heavy diamond feeling even heavier in his hands.
02:22He had misunderstood.
02:24The value she sought wasn't monetary.
02:27It was something deeper, something of the heart.
02:30He needed to show her his love, not his wealth.
02:35His mind raced for another idea.
02:37If not treasure, then perhaps a grand gesture of sweetness.
02:41His second idea was even more ambitious.
02:44He would create the world's largest Valentine's cake.
02:48He gathered the royal bakers, confectioners, and sugar artists.
02:53Four days and nights, the castle kitchens were a whirlwind of flour, sugar, and chocolate.
02:59They built a cake so vast, it filled the entire royal ballroom.
03:03It was a multi-tiered masterpiece, decorated with spun sugar swans, edible flowers, and cascades of rich, creamy frosting.
03:13It was a monument to sweetness.
03:16On Valentine's Day morning, he led Princess Lyra to the ballroom.
03:21Her eyes widened at the sight.
03:22The air was thick with the scent of vanilla and cocoa.
03:27Alaric.
03:28She gasped.
03:29What is all this?
03:31The prince beamed, his confidence returning.
03:34It is a cake for you, my love.
03:37A taste of the sweetness you bring to my life.
03:40Every ingredient was chosen with care.
03:44Every decoration placed with love.
03:46Lyra walked around the colossal confection.
03:49A small, curious smile on her face.
03:52She touched a frosting rose, its petals delicate and perfect.
03:57You have gone to such trouble, dear prince, she said, her voice gentle.
04:03It is a feast for the eyes and, I am sure, for the palate.
04:08But it is not loving.
04:11Alaric's smile faltered.
04:14Not loving.
04:15But I poured all my feelings into its creation.
04:18The princess looked at him, her eyes full of understanding.
04:23This cake will be eaten and then it will be gone.
04:28Its sweetness is temporary.
04:31A fleeting pleasure.
04:33True love is not something that can be consumed and forgotten.
04:37It should be a presence that endures, that grows and shares its beauty day after day.
04:43I appreciate your grand gesture, but my heart yearns for a love that lasts.
04:49Two attempts, two failures.
04:52Prince Alaric felt a despair he had never known.
04:55He had offered immense wealth and a grand, sweet gesture, but neither had touched the princess's soul.
05:03He fled the castle, leaving the uneaten cake behind, and wandered aimlessly into the whispering woods that bordered the kingdom.
05:09He felt lost, unsure of what true love even meant, if it wasn't treasure or grand displays.
05:18He walked for hours, until he found himself in a quiet, sun-dappled clearing he had never seen before.
05:25Exhausted, he sat beneath an ancient oak tree, his head in his hands.
05:30He didn't know how to show Lyra the love that burned so brightly inside him.
05:34As he sat in silent misery, a sound drifted through the trees.
05:39It was a melody, so pure and clear it seemed to hang in the air like silver threads.
05:44It was a song of joy, of sorrow, of hope and longing, all woven together in a beautiful, heartbreaking tapestry
05:53of sound.
05:54The prince lifted his head, mesmerized.
05:58He followed the music to a small thicket of berry bushes.
06:01There, perched on a branch, was a small, white dove.
06:06Its feathers were like freshly fallen snow, and it sang with its whole body, its little chest vibrating with the
06:12power of its song.
06:13As Alaric drew closer, he noticed something unusual.
06:17The dove's eyes were clouded, a milky white.
06:21It was blind.
06:22Yet, its blindness didn't diminish its song.
06:26If anything, it made it more powerful.
06:30Unable to see the world, the dove instead sang of the world it felt within its heart.
06:35It didn't sing for an audience or for praise.
06:39It sang because it was its nature to sing.
06:42It was a pure, honest expression of its own being.
06:45In that moment, Prince Alaric understood.
06:48This was it.
06:50This was the gift.
06:53He gently reached out, and to his surprise, the little dove hopped onto his finger, its song never wavering.
07:00It seemed to trust him completely.
07:02He carefully carried the bird back to the castle.
07:06His steps light, his heart full of a new kind of hope.
07:11He found Princess Lyra back in her garden.
07:14Her expression somber.
07:16He didn't kneel this time.
07:17He simply stood before her and held out his hand.
07:20The little white dove sat on his finger, its head tilted as it began a new song, even more beautiful
07:27than the last.
07:28The melody filled the garden, weaving through the roses and wrapping around them like a warm embrace.
07:34Princess Lyra listened.
07:36Her eyes closed.
07:37A single tear traced a path down her cheek.
07:41When the song ended, she opened her eyes and looked at the prince, a radiant, genuine smile lighting up her
07:48face.
07:48It's blind, Alaric whispered.
07:51It cannot see the world, so it sings from its heart.
07:55It has nothing to give but its song, and it gives it freely, without asking for anything in return.
08:01Lyra reached out and let the dove hop onto her own finger.
08:04She stroked its soft feathers.
08:06It is invaluable, she said.
08:09Her voice filled with emotion, because its song cannot be bought.
08:13It is a gift from the soul.
08:15And it is loving, she continued, looking deep into Alaric's eyes.
08:20Because its beauty is shared, it endures, and it comes from a place of pure, honest feeling.
08:29This, my dear prince, is the most perfect gift I have ever received.
08:35And so, the prince finally learned that the greatest gifts are not measured in carrots or calories,
08:42but in the sincerity and love with which they are given.
08:46The little white dove lived in the princess's garden,
08:49filling their days with its heartfelt songs,
08:51a constant reminder of a love that was truly priceless.
08:55Thank you so much for watching!
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09:03taillies from our little corner of the world.
09:07See you next time!
