Silence devoured the tread of riding boots as the king’s daughter approached the throne. Too late returned from self-imposed exile, she faced the only two beings left in the barren castle.
Her Father slumped dejectedly on his throne. Chained at his feet was a feral figure with wild hair and hooded eyes. Reports of this travesty, of magic held captive, had compelled her to rush home.
“Three wishes it gave me.” The king broke the silence, gesturing at the creature. “I wished your return and prosperity for the kingdom. Of those two things I was certain. The third required consideration and silence. So, I gave the command…”
She gasped, as memory of countless moments at his side gave her the exact wording of an order to clear the room, “You wished to be left alone.”
With a sad nod of his head he told the tale, “Everyone vanished. Some as they turned to obey.” The king acknowledged dryly, “My third wish was granted.”
The creature, chained by the wish of a previous owner and thus compelled to it’s task, received her wishes.
“I wish the return of our people.” The hall behind her re-filled with life.
“I wish your forgiveness for this foolishness, and I wish you free.” With a cry of delight the leprechaun vanished. In its place it left an empty manacle and a single piece of gold.
Tsunamisue's Blog 
Submitted as an entry in a Short Short Story contest – the objective: a story in 100 words or less. I didn’t win, but the story was published in the contest booklet.
It’s more than 100 words! Perhaps that’s the only reason it failed? It’s a quite delightful story – fairytale, morality play, fantasy. Almost Zen in its compact perfection. I love it. 🙂