the Heretic Princess and the Unusual Angel
Evermore
is a kingdom of magic and mysterious grandeur.
It’s in another realm hidden within our reality and can only be
seen by individuals with open minds and hearts. The whole kingdom
looks like a vivid and gorgeous oil painting with tall trees,
colorful plants, clear lakes, never-ending hills, a small village, a
thriving marketplace, and a beautiful massive castle watching over
all of this from a mountain. Magic is believed, accepted, and
honored. Because magic is part of the kingdom’s daily life, the
people of Evermore also respect and sometimes fear such mystical
creatures as giants, dragons, merpeople, goblins, imps, angels, and
the fae.
King
Richard and Queen Linda Shadowmend rule this intriguing place and
live in the massive castle. The people of Evermore love them because
of their caring nature. King Richard is tall and muscular and can
seem intimidating to outsiders, but he’s a big teddy bear. He’s
compassionate, brave, and protective, but laid-back and cheerful with
people. When he lets out a hardy chuckle, his electric blue eyes
sparkle. His dark-brown hair and beard are also well-groomed, and he
always wears musky cologne, which can be a comforting aroma. Queen
Linda is a strong woman with otherworldly beauty. She has long blonde
hair, stunning baby-blue eyes, and the warmest smile and laugh. She’s
the most open-minded queen of all time. She never judges anyone.
She’s also empathetic and nurturing but can be vicious when she has
to. It’s said that any foe shouldn’t go against her when she’s
defending her people and family; it would be the last thing they
would ever do. King Richard and Queen Linda are deeply in love with
each other. It was an arranged marriage, but luckily, they first met
as teenagers, and it was love at first sight.
They
only have one daughter. Her name is Sapphire, named after the color
of her eyes. Despite having a magnificent life, this princess’s
journey wasn’t always glamorous. She had to overcome a lot of
obstacles. She also did things that other princesses usually didn’t
do or were allowed to do. It was frowned upon that she marched to the
beat of her own drum. It took an unusual guardian angel to show her
that she didn’t have to change. Her individuality should’ve been
celebrated.
It
all started on one spring day when Princess Sapphire was only three
years old. Her parents and a servant took her into the forest for a
walk. She saw a beautiful snow-white butterfly and began to run after
it innocently. She wasn’t looking where she was going and before
her parents or the servant could grab her, she stepped into a fairy
circle. The Unseelie Court of Fairies popped up and surrounded young
Sapphire menacingly. These fairies were horned and pale, with dark
clothes and irises, and toothy grins. Most fae were harmless, but the
Unseelie Court was baleful, warped, chaotic, and easily offended.
They loved punishing humans. Her parents and the servant stood under
a tree next to the circle, not moving, while Sapphire was in danger.
“Look
what we have,” said a fairy scornfully, “another stupid human
child stepped into our sacred circle. What shall we do?”
“Let’s
make her dance with us,” added another fairy with an evil smile,
“Dance with us until she takes her last breath.”
A
male fairy snapped his fingers, making Princess Sapphire’s feet
move vigorously.
At
first, she laughed, but then she panicked and cried for her mother
when she realized she couldn’t stop. They danced and cackled around
her as she screamed.
“Wait,”
cried out Queen Linda to the fairies, “she’s only a child! She
didn’t know any better!”
“Yes,”
begged King Richard, “you can’t be that cruel!”
The
malevolent fairies were looking forward to punishing a human child
that day, but Princess Sapphire’s wailing was getting louder and
giving them headaches. Besides, the king and queen were squirming
like worms on hooks. The fairies decided torturing them would be much
more fun.
Rolling
her eyes and smiling, a fairy said: “Fine. You can have your
annoying child back…for a price.”
King
Richard said desperately: “What’s your price?”
“Just
three things.”
“Please
don’t do it,” exclaimed the servant, “Your Majesties! It must
be a trick!”
“We’re
saving our daughter,” yelled Queen Linda, “No matter what it
costs us!”
“First,
if you agree,” explained a fairy, “we’ll remove your ability to
have another child since it seems you can only handle one. You didn’t
teach her to respect us. Second, we’ll remove her ability to walk,
so she won’t ever step into another sacred circle. Third, we’ll
make her speech garbed, so it’ll be difficult for people to
understand her if she talks badly about us. Do you agree?”
Queen
Linda and King Richard looked at each other sadly for a second.
Sapphire’s feet then began to bleed.
Without
another moment of hesitation, they both said: “We agree!”
A
fairy blew some black dust in Princess Sapphire’s face, making her
levitate out of the fairy circle and into her mother’s arms. Then,
The Unseelie Court vanished with their cackles echoing in the air.
Queen
Linda and King Richard held Princess Sapphire tightly. Their hearts
broke not only for their inability to have another child but also for
her. Because of this, they knew Princess Sapphire would have more
trials and tribulations than other children. They hoped she would
forgive them for agreeing to this.
Over
the next few weeks at the castle, Queen Linda and King Richard tried
to reverse The Unseelie Court’s magic. They asked the best
sorceresses, wizards, and fae people to help. These people and beings
were willing to try to stop the royal family’s heartbreaking fate,
but once they were seen, the queen and king were told that this was
an unbreakable curse; the curse was running through the veins of all
three of them. With heavy hearts, the queen and king accepted it.
Princess Sapphire was now wheelchair-bound.
Over
the years, Queen Linda, King Richard, and Princess Sapphire didn’t
grieve what was taken away from them or hold a grudge against any
fae. Princess Sapphire didn’t resent her parents for what they did;
she knew they did it to save her life. This was just how the cards
dealt for the royal family. Her parents loved and encouraged her to
do anything she wanted but didn’t coddle or treat her differently.
Despite many struggles, she became a bright, strong-willed,
independent girl.
It
was now December 1st, the afternoon of her eleventh birthday. It was
lightly snowing outside. Fluffy mounts of snow were on the ground,
and it also looked like there was powder sugar on the trees,
mountains, and rooftops. Princess Sapphire wanted to have an outside
party; build snowmen and have snowball fights, but it was bitterly
cold, so the party was in the throne room. Little did they know, at
that very moment, a strange and kind man was approaching the castle;
snow loudly crunching underneath his feet.
The
spacious throne room was already decorated for Christmas with the
greenest garland and all sizes of pine cones around the staircase
railings and fireplace, and a large tree that stood to the side with
amazing red and green ornaments. A crackling fire was going inside
the fireplace as well, and a golden table was set up in the middle of
the room for the birthday party. The queen and king sat in their
thrones, happily observing the party. Deborah, who was Queen Linda’s
sister and Princess Sapphire’s aunt and tutor, stood by them with a
disapproving scowl. She was a stern and frigid woman with her long
blonde tied up in a tight bun. She dressed like an old schoolmarm.
She never smiled or showed any sign of happiness. She also hated
anything magical or unique and made it her mission for Princess
Sapphire to act “normal.”
Among
the girls in pastel-colored dresses sat Princess Sapphire, wearing a
black tunic, gray trousers, a black belt, and a pair of soft black
boots. She hated dresses because she thought they were restrictive.
She wore her long, curly, dark-brown hair down with her gold tiara on
top. Also, she had cuts on her fingers from sewing and wood-carving
toys, so she wore leather gloves. Despite her unconventional choice
of fashion, she had incredible elvan-like beauty with sapphire eyes
that seemed to glow and a spellbinding smile. Aunt Deborah told her
that she should dress like a proper princess, but her mother didn’t
see it as a big deal.
Princess
Sapphire was enjoying her birthday party and the girls and their
parents who came were nice, but she didn’t know most of them. She
didn’t have a lot of friends. Besides her parents, the princess
only had a bond with her nanny, Ginger. Ginger was the daughter of
Queen Linda’s childhood friend, Brewelda. When Brewelda’s family
fell on difficult times, sixteen-year-old Ginger came to Evermore and
became Princess Sapphire’s nanny. Ginger was beautiful with her
light-brown hair, hazel eyes, and bright smile. Ginger was like an
older sister. She tried to shield the princess from her aunt’s
cruel criticisms and hateful views. She even encouraged her to take
any chance to socialize with people outside of the castle, even if
they couldn’t always understand her.
Princess
Sapphire asked her guests not to bring any gifts that day because she
had enough things. She asked them to donate toys to the orphanage.
However, they brought gifts to her anyway, and it was the same thing:
a baby doll. She stopped playing with these kinds of baby dolls when
she was five. She liked cloth or wooden dolls, but she appreciated
their kindness. She politely smiled and thanked each person.
The
girls wanted to have a pretend tea party with their own dolls.
Princess Sapphire agreed, but instead of using one of her new baby
dolls, she asked Ginger to get her two favorite dolls from the next
room: two small ghost dolls she made herself. Each ghost was made of
two unused silk handkerchiefs sewn together; they were stuffed with
cotton, their eyes were old black buttons, and their mouths were
painted on.
A
girl asked: “What are those, Princess?”
“I
made them,” she replied proudly.
“What?”
Princess
Sapphire repeated herself slowly, adding with confidence: “I
designed and sewed these dolls myself. They are ghosts.”
The
girl’s mother smiled: “That’s clever.”
The
rest of the guests gave the princess a peculiar look, and Aunt
Deborah rolled her eyes, but the playing commenced. The other girls
gave her ghosts cups but didn’t involve them in the game. Princess
Sapphire tried to interact with the other girls with their dolls but
she was being misheard a lot. She could feel her frustration growing
because she was being misunderstood and the girls gradually started
to ignore her. Just then, the large door burst wide open, an
extremely brisk and strong wind filling the room for a moment.
Servants rushed to close the door.
Walking
next to two castle guards, a bizarre-looking man entered the room.
The heavy-set, tanned man sort of looked like St. Nicholas with white
hair and beard, but he also had two bone-white horns protruding from
his forehead and a pair of pure white, enormous angel wings sprouting
from his back. He had one gold eye and one gray eye. He had a slight
limp in his left leg and held a black and silver cane in his left
hand for balance. He was also carrying a kitbag in his right hand.
Everything that he wore was purple; his cloak, suit, and shoes. For
some reason, the party guests and Aunt Deborah were unnerved by him,
while Queen Linda, King Richard, Ginger, and Princess Sapphire
welcomed him with the warmest smiles.
“Your
Majesties,” said one of the castle guards to her parents, bowing,
“I’m sorry, but this gentleman says he is here in hopes of being
the new bodyguard for Princess Sapphire.”
“I’m
sorry for interrupting your party, Your Majesties,” said the man,
“I just came into Evermore recently and I had heard about the
bodyguard position. Since I had some experience as a bodyguard, I
came here right away.”
They
did need a new bodyguard for her. The former one left to become a
soldier in another kingdom. Princess Sapphire and Ginger thought her
former bodyguard was such a killjoy too.
“Do
not fret, my good sir,” exclaimed King Richard merrily, “What’s
your name?”
“My
name is Lee, Your Majesty, but I still apologize for intruding on
your party.”
“I
don’t mind,” said Princess Sapphire happily, “It’s my
birthday party!”
“A
princess doesn’t speak,” Aunt Deborah scolded her, “unless when
spoken to!”
Princess
Sapphire let out an exasperated sigh. Ginger gave her an assuring
nudge to calm her and remind her she still had party guests in the
room.
Lee
smiled and kindly said: “Happy birthday, Princess.”
“Thank
you, Mr. Lee.”
“You’re
welcome, and please, Princess, just call me Lee.”
Her
heart leaping, she was taken back for a second. Did a complete
stranger just understand her the first time she spoke without her
having to repeat herself? How though?
“Well,”
said Queen Linda, “we were going to interview people for that
position tomorrow, but we can’t turn you away if you walked all the
way up the mountain to call on us, especially if that wind is picking
up now. A snowstorm might be coming!”
“To
be honest, Your Majesty,” smiled Lee, pointing up at his wings, “I
didn’t exactly walk
all
the way. These ol’ pals on my back might have helped.”
King
Richard chuckled and Queen Linda, Princess Sapphire, and Ginger
smiled at his silly statement. Aunt Deborah looked appalled, and the
party guests looked somewhat afraid.
“Ah,”
King Richard chuckled, “I guess you do have a slight advantage, but
even if you’re flying, you shouldn’t be in a snowstorm. Also, I
bet your life story is so interesting. Why don’t you stay here for
the night? You can tell your tale and we can interview you tomorrow.”
“People
do say that I have a unique story. My life had many twists and turns,
but I don’t want to impose, Your Majesty.”
“Many
twists and turns,” Princess Sapphire repeated in an astonished
whisper to herself.
“Nonsense,”
said Queen Linda to him, “we insist!”
“It’s
unnecessary,” said Lee humbly, “I could stay in the inn in town
and come back tomorrow, but if it pleases Your Majesties. I’ll stay
here. Thank you so much.”
“It’s
settled then,” said King Richard.
A
servant then took Lee’s bag from him and brought it upstairs to a
spare room.
“Thank
you,” he said.
Princess
Sapphire was intrigued by Lee and wanted to hear his whole story
right away. She didn’t know why but felt she would somehow relate
to his story. Despite the obvious age gap, she just had a gut feeling
that she would be friends with this good-natured man. Her birthday
party was fun so far, but the other girls had started to pretend she
wasn’t there. She had a plan.
Sounding
as formal as possible, she asked: “Father…Mother, may I speak?”
“Of
course, you can, Sweetheart,” King Richard replied.
“You
don’t need to ask,” added Queen Linda.
Princess
Sapphire flashed a sarcastic smile at her Aunt Deborah and then
respectfully said to her parents: “Thank you. Since a snowstorm
might be coming, should we have the guests go home early? I do not
want anyone to be in danger because of me.”
“Princess,”
exclaimed Aunt Deborah through her teeth, “we do not stop a party
before the cake is served! It’s rude, especially if it’s because
you’re just bored of the party! Stop acting like a brat!”
“I’m
not bored,” she insisted, “It’s just that the wind was very
strong and I’m worried. Besides, I think the girls are getting
tired of the party. They’re becoming quite untalkative. I won’t
make them stay for the cake if they don’t want to.”
“Princess!”
Aunt Deborah was mortified.
Ginger
stifled a laugh.
The
girls’ parents swore up and down that their daughters weren’t
tired of the party, but the girls were more concerned about not
getting cake and started whining.
Queen
Linda knew what her daughter was doing. She saw how things turned
south during the pretend tea party; the girls weren’t including
poor Sapphire in the game. She also saw how curious Sapphire became
of Lee. Her eyes lit up when she realized he could understand her.
With
a knowing smile, Queen Linda said: “I’m sure the girls are having
a great time, Sweetie, but maybe you’re right. The wind was
dangerously strong. Everyone should go home before the weather gets
horrendous.”
Some
of the girls burst into tears because they weren’t getting any
triple-chocolate cake.
“Do
not be upset, ladies, the princess understands.”
“Yes,
I do,” said Princess Sapphire with a nod, “we cannot control the
weather.”
“Unless
the princess is secretly an enchantress who can calm storms,” Lee
playfully said.
His
comment was random and off-beat but charming.
“I
wish I had magical powers,” smiled Princess Sapphire, “It would
be wonderful!”
“Not
always wonderful,” he remarked.
She
thought with curiosity and wonder: “What
does that mean?”
“Also,”
said Queen Linda to the girls, “all of you will be sent home with a
bag of candy, so you’ll have something sweet.”
The
servants quickly got the bags of candy from the kitchen, which were
supposed to be for the end of the party. A servant handed out a bag
to each girl, as the guests were escorted out of the door by the
castle guards. The king, queen, and princess also thanked all of the
guests for coming. The girls who wanted cake begrudgingly curtsied to
them.
When
the guests were out of earshot, the princess asked Lee: “Do you
mind telling us your life story, please? You seem interesting. Also,
my parents might interview you now, if you’re up to it.”
“It’ll
be an honor, Princess.”
Queen
Linda told the servants to save the cake, for they would sing ‘Happy
Birthday’ to the princess and eat it later. Then the king, queen,
princess, Ginger, and Aunt Deborah gathered in the dining hall to
hear Lee’s tale. Princess Sapphire carried the two ghost dolls in
her lap. She positioned her wheelchair next to the dining hall’s
fireplace and asked Ginger to put the dolls up on the mantel.
“Where
should I start,” asked Lee, “What do you want to know?”
“Anywhere
and anything that you’re comfortable with telling us.”
“Well,
I should start by telling you that I was born with this handsome
appearance," said Lee jokingly, referring to his horns, eyes,
and wings.
The
princess giggled.
Ginger
asked: “Why though?”
“I
don't know why,” he replied, “It had been the subject of a myth
all my life. My father once told me crudely that it was because my
mother romanced both an angel and a demon, but I never believed him.
I think he only said that to taunt me and tarnish my mother's
reputation. He was a cruel man."
Aunt
Deborah rudely asked him: "Your mother never told you the
truth?!"
"No,"
he replied somberly, "she died while giving birth to me. My
father took me to the kingdom of Xosal after her funeral."
"I'm
sorry," said Princess Sapphire softly.
"It's
okay. Thank you. Even though I don’t remember her face, I can feel
her love every day.”
Then,
he continued with his story: “I was also born with the gift of
magic, which made my father happy at first, for he was a powerful
wizard.”
To
show them his gift, Lee pointed to the ceiling; green sparks came out
of his finger, making snow slowly fall in the dining hall.
Princess
Sapphire gasped in awe.
He
then rotated his wrist and the snow abruptly vanished.
“And
I could fly, of course,” he continued, “Unfortunately, my father
practiced evil magic and wanted me to as well. Even though I had the
abilities of a wizard, he quickly began to get angry with me because
I wanted to use my abilities for good. He thought I was a weak,
useless, ugly disappointment of a son. Like any other young boy, I
wanted my father’s approval, so I learned other magical things like
herbology and divination, but no matter what I did, he was never
happy. I was just a misfit and mistake in his eyes and was beaten
daily for it.”
Princess
Sapphire felt sorry for Lee at that moment. It was unfair. He just
wanted to do good and not be like his heartless father. He didn’t
deserve that vile treatment. She also knew how it felt to be seen as
a misfit that people looked down on. She wondered who created the
rule that everyone had to act the same way.
“Overtime,”
Lee went on, “I had to accept that I was never getting my father’s
love and approval. I had to gain inner peace and self-esteem at a
young age. One evening, when I was thirteen, my father brought a
woman home from the tavern. He was drunk. The woman was unconscious
from a spell. I recognized the woman from town. She was married to
the baker. I had a bad feeling that my father had kidnapped her. My
father wanted me to help him kill her for his dark ritual. I
automatically refused. He slapped me across the face, but I still
refused. He then put a wand at my throat and told me to help him kill
her or be killed. Courage suddenly filling me, I thrust my hand in
front of my face; throwing my father across the room and bursting our
log cabin door open. I could see that my father was now unconscious.
Quickly moving my wings, I lifted myself into the air. I picked up
the unconscious woman from the floor and flew out of the door,
promising myself not to come back.”
The
princess cheered at his fearlessness.
"I
knew where the woman lived," he said, "so I flew her to her
house. The bedroom window was open, and I carefully laid her in bed
beside her husband. Her husband woke up and saw me. When I went to
town, I usually folded my wings up into my back and wore a cloak with
the hood up to hide my horns. When he saw what I really looked like
that night, he thought I was a wicked fallen angel trying to take his
wife. I tried to explain, but he wasn't having it."
"Oh
no!"
"He
tried to grab my wings, but I flew away. Before I knew it, the
husband and the whole town were chasing me from the ground, throwing
rocks and shooting bullets and arrows up at me. An arrow flew into my
arm, and even though I knew I couldn't be killed, it was painful.
With an agonizing scream, I pulled the arrow out of my arm and tossed
it away, still flying. Then, to my horror, I saw that my father had
joined the mob and had his wand. I dodged and bob and weaved, as he
tried to shoot sparks up at me, but luckily, he was still drunk; his
aim was off, and couldn't remember any spell. This was the only time
when someone being intoxicated was a good thing.”
Everyone,
except for Aunt Deborah, chuckled at this statement.
“I
flew higher above the clouds,” Lee told them, “I had to keep on
flying, for I knew if my father got a hold of me, he would kill me
with magic. I flew through the night.”
"You
must have been exhausted," Queen Linda remarked.
“I
was, Your Majesty. I could barely keep my eyes open, and my wings
were sore. Being so tired, I had to land. When my feet touched the
ground, I passed out. The mob would have found me unconscious on the
ground if a kind witch named Ruby Quinn hadn’t seen me first and
put me in her horse carriage, taking me to safety. When I woke up, my
arm wound was healed. I was in the Kingdom of Zaitz, in Ruby’s
castle. Ruby wasn’t royalty or rich, just a highly respected witch.
The castle was a gift from a king. She was an eccentric woman who
wore her red hair in pigtails and always wore green dresses that had
leaves and sticks dangling on them. She also had a heart of gold. She
let me stay there with her when I told her what happened. She taught
me healing magic, history, mathematics, and science. She even taught
me sword fighting, while standing or in flight. Eventually, I became
her bodyguard, and I was her bodyguard until she died at age ninety.
I’ll always be grateful to her! After her death, I traveled from
kingdom to kingdom, helping people, until I landed in Evermore.”
Princess
Sapphire asked: “Did your father ever try to find you?”
“No,
he forgot about me and became a cult leader.”
“That
is a tragic and interesting story,” said Aunt Deborah
indifferently, “but can he protect the princess? How old is he?”
“I’m
two hundred years old,” smiled Lee, “I’m a youngin’!”
The
princess giggled.
“Sister,”
exclaimed the queen, “age shouldn’t matter! He was a bodyguard
for many years!”
“But
he has a limp.”
“My
limp is from old age,” he replied, “but it never hinders me. If
my leg hurts too bad, I just use my wings.”
“You
said you could fold up your wings,” said Queen Linda, “can you
show us how you do it just in case you ever have to do it quickly?”
His
wings curled inward, shrunk, and sucked into his back. He winced.
The
princess asked with concern: “Does it hurt?”
“It’s
just uncomfortable,” he assured her, “it’s like they’re
trapped in a small, tight, restrictive box. They squirm in my back,
trying to get free.”
“Then,
please keep your wings unfolded,” replied Queen Linda, “I want
you to be comfortable.”
He
unfolded his wings to their full glory.
“I
just don’t think that he’ll be good at the job,” said Aunt
Deborah, “with his limp, wings, and all.”
The
princess rolled her eyes at her aunt’s prejudice.
King
Richard then said: “Well, why don’t we test him? Lee, would you
show your skills in a sword fight with me?”
“Of
course, Your Majesty.”
The
king got two swords from the wall and tossed one to Lee. Lee caught
the sword in mid-air, and his feet left the floor; his wings
producing a breeze stronger than the wind outside.
Aunt
Deborah exclaimed: “Isn’t that cheating?!”
“No,”
replied the king, “he said that he can sword fight while standing
or flying. I want to see it.”
When
King Richard swung from the right, Lee swiftly blocked it. When the
king struck at him from the left, he blocked and quickly came back
down to stand. The king didn’t want to hurt him, of course, but he
wanted to see what Lee would do, so he pointed his sword at Lee’s
neck. Lee blocked it at high speed, putting his sword up in a
horizontal position. Then, skillfully spinning back into the air, he
hooked his sword to the end of the king's sword, rapidly pulling
forward and making the king’s sword slide out of his hand; slightly
gashing the king’s palm.
“Father!”
“Are
you alright, Dear?”
“I’m
fine, my loves,” chuckled King Richard, “it wouldn’t be a sword
fight without a little blood.”
Lee
landed on the floor again and put a hand over the king’s injury,
healing it with a warm white light.
“Thank
you. Good form!”
“You’re
welcome, Your Majesty.”
Then,
Lee saw Ginger accidentally bumping her elbow against the fireplace
mantel. The princess’s two ghost dolls were falling. Princess
Sapphire let out a distraught yell, but before the dolls could fall
into the fire, he zoomed across the room and caught them mid-fall.
“I
have to save these fellas,” Lee said kindly, giving her the dolls,
“They look like they were made with care.”
“Thank
you,” smiled Princess Sapphire, “I made them myself.”
“You
have real talent.”
Seeing
his sword fighting skills, his healing skills, and this moment, King
Richard said: “I think we have found the man to protect our
princess!”
Princess
Sapphire was thrilled, but Aunt Deborah huffed and ran upstairs.
“I’m
sorry about my sister,” said Queen Linda to Lee, “she’s set in
her ways.”
“It’s
okay,” he smiled, “she’ll warm up to me in time.”
With
a laugh, Ginger said: “She doesn’t warm up to anyone.”
“With
that settled,” said King Richard, “shall we eat cake now?”
“We
will after Sapphire’s surprise,” replied Queen Linda, winking at
the king.
Looking
puzzled, the princess asked: “What surprise?”
At
that moment, two servants came into the room, carrying a tall pink
dollhouse. They then put it on the table and Princess Sapphire
squealed happily, rolling up to it.
“Thank
you, Mother and Father!”
For
a month, the princess had been asking to make a haunted house for her
ghost dolls, but she would need a lot of wood and black paint.
“I
know you wanted to make it,” said Queen Linda, “and it’s not
the color you wanted but…”
“It’s
incredible,” said the princess excitedly, “A pink house can be
haunted too!”
She
then rolled to her parents, and they bent over so she could give them
kisses.
“I
love you both.”
“We
love you too,” replied the king and queen.
Princess
Sapphire rolled back to her new dollhouse.
Queen
Linda asked the servants: “Could you prepare the cake now, please?”
As
the servants were preparing it, Queen Linda heard Lee say to
Sapphire: “A pink haunted house could be even scarier.”
Then,
she saw him sit next to Sapphire, talking to her and listening as she
enthusiastically spoke about her ghost dolls and her plans to carve
Gothic-looking furniture for the new dollhouse. He encouraged her and
even suggested ideas to her. Seeing this, Queen Linda knew that
Sapphire and him would get along; this man would protect and care for
her little girl like she was his own.
Over
the next two weeks, Lee was always with the young princess but never
complained. He was happy to protect and help her. He would assist her
with getting into her wheelchair. He would stand outside of the
doorway during her lessons with her Aunt Deborah, so no one would
interrupt. When she and Ginger went outside, he would dig through the
snow to make sure that no fairy circles were nearby, for the queen
told him about their curse. He was also fun and made the princess
laugh. When he would say something silly, the princess would say with
a giggle: “You are such a goof!”
He
would playfully reply: “Well, I’m your bodyguard and
your personal goof.”
Princess
Sapphire also felt like she could trust him. He never judged her. He
never expected her to act a certain way. She could be her weird self
around him: an outspoken, hilarious, overimaginative, excitable,
rebellious princess who wore boy clothes and loved toy-making and
ghost stories.
One
day, a week before Christmas, she was having a lesson with Aunt
Deborah. They were discussing arranged marriages. Even though her
parents weren’t ever going to put her in an arranged marriage, Aunt
Deborah insisted on talking about it with the eleven-year-old
princess.
“Arranged
marriages are seen as a way to create stable family units and
alliances between families,” lectured Aunt Deborah, “It can be a
way to protect and increase a family's wealth and inheritance.
Arranged marriages are often encouraged by tradition, culture, and
religion, and it can be a way to navigate social and ethnic
conflicts. Arranged marriages can also be a result of limited choice
or disabilities.”
Aunt
Deborah said the last sentence with a judging, arched eyebrow.
“But
Aunt,” said the princess, confused, “I thought people got married
because they love each other.”
With
a sigh, Aunt Deborah exclaimed: “What did you say? Can you at least
attempt to enunciate?!”
“I
thought people got married because they love each other,” repeated
the princess slowly.
“Oh,
sometimes, Princess. Not always. It’s often seen as a social
obligation.”
“But
my mother and father are in love.”
“Well,
their situation is rare,” replied Aunt Deborah, sounding annoyed,
“They met before the arrangement was set in stone.”
“I
want to be in love like Mother and Father were,” smiled the
princess dreamily, “when I get married.”
“If
I was you,” sneered Aunt Deborah, “I would forget those flowery
notions of love and romance because no prince will want a crippled
and cursed princess. They definitely won’t want a princess who acts
so strange either! Just marry a prince from a rich kingdom and be
grateful!”
Her
cruel words cut the princess deeply this time. Princess Sapphire
tried to blink away the stinging tears from her eyes. Even at eleven,
she had hoped she would meet her prince charming someday and live
happily ever after, even with her curse. Now, she was wondering if
that was even possible.
Slamming
a large, fat, gray book on the table, Aunt Deborah instructed: “Now…I
want you to read the chapter on obedience and take notes.”
Seeing
the hurt on the princess’ face, she added: “Don’t sulk,
Princess. I’m just helping you.”
Then,
she walked out of the room.
Princess
Sapphire was gulping back sobs. Hearing the entire conversation, Lee
snuck into the room and gave her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes. It
broke his heart to listen to the princess cry. He didn’t understand
why Ma’am Deborah was so cruel to her niece.
“I
didn’t mean to eavesdrop, Princess,” he said, “but I think what
Ma’am Deborah told you was wrong. Marriage is about love and
partnership. It’s not a flowery notion. Also, there’s more to you
than your inabilities; you’re smart, imaginative, broad-minded,
caring, and talented. One day, when you’re older, people will find
you so fascinating that there will be lines of princes wanting to
meet and marry you. They won’t care about the curse. Don’t worry,
Ma’am was just being a Debbie Downer.”
“Thank
you, Lee,” she smiled, hugging his arm, “I feel much better.”
“Of
course, Princess.”
He
then snuck back out of the room so Aunt Deborah wouldn’t yell at
him. As he walked, the princess noticed his cane was very scuffed and
torn, and that gave her an idea for Christmas.
On
Christmas Eve, they were having a ball. Princess Sapphire didn’t
see Lee all day because everyone was getting ready. All the castle
staff were cooking the food, decorating the castle, or helping the
royal family dress. The queen wore a marvelous gold gown, her golden
crown, a pair of long silk white gloves, and golden high-heels. The
king wore a green suit with a green cape, brown shoes, white gloves,
and a gold crown. Since Ginger went back home for Christmas, the
princess just decided to dress herself and not ask for a servant’s
assistance. Unlike Ginger, a servant would’ve tried to talk her
into wearing a dress. She wore a green puffy-sleeved poet shirt with
black trousers, black boots, black leather gloves, and her gold
tiara. Aunt Deborah wasn’t going because she didn’t celebrate
Christmas.
The
huge, circular ballroom had white lights, evergreen garland, and
golden pine cones up and down the walls and around railings and
doorways. There was a massive tree in the middle of the room that
almost reached the ceiling and had twinkling white lights and
sparkling silver and gold pentacle ornaments. Mistletoe also hung in
the entranceway of the ballroom and every corner of the room. An
orchestra played jovial Christmas carols, as snow gently fell in the
ballroom, thanks to Lee’s magic. Half of Evermore was there;
dancing, talking, exchanging gifts, and laughing. At the princess’
request, a group of children from the orphanage came to the ball as
well. Each child got to pick one of the princess’ handmade toys,
which she made especially for the ball. The children were elated.
Once she gave out all the toys, she looked for Lee. She still had the
long-shaped gift for him in her lap.
She
found him by the tree. Lee wore a baby blue suit and top hat with
white shoes.
“Hello,
Lee,” she exclaimed, rolling to him, “you look quite dashing!
Merry Christmas!!”
“Thank
you, Princess! Your shirt is nice. Merry Christmas!”
She
then held out the big gift, which was wrapped in red and green paper.
“What’s
this?”
“It’s
your Christmas gift, goof,” she giggled, “Open it.”
“Aw,
Princess, you didn’t have to get me anything,” he smiled warmly.
“But
I wanted to.”
He
then grabbed the gift, tearing the paper away. She carved a new
walking cane for him. On top of the cane, she carved an angel figure
to be used as a handle.
“Oh,
Princess,” he exclaimed, bear-hugging her, “It’s wonderful,
thank you!”
She
hugged him back and said: “You’re welcome. I just noticed your
old cane has seen better days.”
“Well,
since we’re giving gifts,” he grinned, reaching into his jacket,
“this is for you, Princess.”
He
handed her a book with a yellow bow on it. She removed the bow and
saw it was a novella called ‘A
Christmas Carol’ by
Charles Dickens.
“It’s
a Christmas ghost story,” he told her.
“Thank
you,” she gasped excitedly, “I can’t wait to read it!”
After
their gifts were exchanged, they began to dance. Her father and Lee
were taking turns twirling her around, pushing her back and forth
between them. The princess was laughing the whole time. Seeing the
fun, the children wanted to join in. Lee, the king, the queen, the
princess, and the children then began to dance around the Christmas
tree, singing Deck
the Halls.
It was a fantastic night. The princess felt so blessed. She was
thankful for her loving parents and Lee, her new bodyguard and best
friend.
Two
years later, Princess Sapphire was about to turn thirteen. The next
day was going to be her birthday, but for now, she was having a
literature lesson with Aunt Deborah in her bedroom. Her aunt usually
focused on princess etiquette, but the queen asked her to teach the
princess other subjects. Aunt Deborah reluctantly agreed.
Before
that day’s lesson started, Lee told the princess that he was going
to help the castle guards carry the table into the ballroom for the
next day’s party. He told her if she needed him, just call his
name, but she just smiled and playfully said: “I think I’ll be
safe during one lesson, Lee.”
The
princess would soon regret those words.
The
literature lesson was about poetry. The princess would pick out a
poem from a book and read it aloud. Then, they would discuss it.
“Remember,”
said Aunt Deborah, “enunciate your words. A princess speaks
clearly, even with a curse on her.”
Clearing
her throat and putting her shoulders back, the princess confidently
began reading: “The Little Mute Boy by Federico Garcia Lorca. The
little boy was looking for his voice.
(The
king of the crickets had it.)
In
a drop of water
the
little boy was looking for his voice.
I
do not want it for speaking with;
I
will make a ring of it
so
that he may wear my silence
on
his little finger
In
a drop of water,
the
little boy was looking for his voice.
(The
captive voice, far away,
put
on a cricket's clothes).”
“Well,
you spoke clearly for some of it,” sighed Aunt Deborah, snatching
the book from the princess’ hands.
Aunt
Deborah quickly read the poem to herself and asked: “What is this
poem about?”
"It
deals with everything from the alienation of an individual to the
silence that’s demanded by conformity,” explained Princess
Sapphire, “The 'King of the Crickets', whose royal authority and
the harmonic chirping symbolizes a call to uniformity. The 'King of
Crickets' can also be seen as a metaphor for societal norms or
authority figures. Like some kings in real life, I think the
authority figure in the poem wants to control the boy and wants the
boy to follow the crowd blindly."
Aunt
Deborah asked: “All kings?”
“No,
my father respects his people as individuals and listens to their
opinions, but some kings rule with iron fists; people can’t speak
their minds, live their lives the way they want, or breathe without
their king’s say so.”
“As
it should be,” remarked Aunt Deborah.
“I
think kings like that are scoundrels!”
“EXCUSE
ME!”
“I
think people shouldn’t silenced,” stated Princess Sapphire, “They
should defy their king if he’s villainous.”
Hearing
this and becoming furious, Aunt Deborah slapped the princess across
the face. The slap stunned the princess into silence for a moment.
Then,
her aunt slapped her over and over again, screaming: “YOU DUMB
CHILD, STOP HAVING THESE ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT IDEAS! MY SISTER’S
DAUGHTER WON’T BE A STUPID NON-CONFORMIST THAT CAUSES UNNECESSARY
UPRISINGS! OBEY AND RESPECT ALL ROYALTY! WITHOUT KINGS, WE WOULD BE
NOTHING!!”
The
princess was trying to yell for Lee, but she was sobbing too much.
She couldn’t catch her breath. She was scared and hurt. One side of
her face was swelling. Her lip was busted and bleeding profusely.
Then, she saw her aunt’s hand curl up into a fist. Her aunt was
about to punch her when Lee bolted into the room and grabbed her
aunt’s wrist.
Aunt
Deborah screeched: “Let go out of me, you beast! I’ll compose
myself!”
Letting
go, Lee then rushed to the princess.
Shaking
and crying, the princess hugged his arm tightly.
“Princess,”
he said, wrapping his wings around her protectively, “You’re safe
now. I got you…I got you.”
With
her permission, he then pushed her chair quickly near the window, so
he could see all of her injuries better. His left hand becoming clear
like water, he touched her face and slowly healed her with coldness;
the swelling disappeared and blood went back up into her body.
Queen
Linda and Ginger dashed in at that moment too.
Queen
Linda exclaimed: “What is going on?!”
“Aunt
Deborah slapped me,” cried the princess, still being healed.
Getting
in Aunt Deborah’s face, the queen furiously asked: “You dared to
hit my daughter?!”
“Repeatedly,
Your Majesty,” added Lee.
“And
why Sister?”
Ignoring
the queen’s question, Aunt Deborah exclaimed: “Have you heard
your daughter’s non-conformist ideas? I think she’s becoming a
heretic!”
“I
encourage my daughter to be a free-thinker, but even if I didn’t
agree with it, that doesn’t give you the right to abuse her!!”
“But
people might talk,” replied Aunt Deborah in a shaky voice.
“Again,”
the queen roared, “you have no right to slap her!!!”
With
the princess completely healed, Lee’s hand turned back to normal.
Despite her injuries being gone, she was still sobbing hysterically,
feeling violated and angry. Ginger and Lee were consoling her in the
corner.
“I
should have you thrown into the dungeon for this,” continued the
queen, “but you’re my sister! Let’s discuss this more in the
throne room.”
“No,”
replied Aunt Deborah, knowing she was in trouble.
“Yes,”
said King Richard angrily, suddenly appearing in the room with two
guards.
The
two guards grabbed Aunt Deborah by the arms, escorting her to the
throne room. The king and the queen hugged the princess, kissing her
forehead. King Richard whispered something to Lee and smiled. Then,
the king and the queen walked out of the room to talk to Aunt
Deborah.
Ginger
asked: “What did the king say?”
“He
said to show the princess a birthday gift early,” he replied, “he
thought it would make her feel better, and he doesn’t want her to
be in the same room as her aunt right now. But first, Princess, can
you do something for me?”
“I’ll
try,” she sobbed.
“Can
you take a deep breath from your stomach?”
She
did this.
“Now,
can you inhale through your nose for four seconds then exhale out of
your mouth for eight seconds?”
She
did as asked. She did this new exercise until she stopped crying and
was relaxed.
“Better
now, Princess?”
“Yes,”
the princess replied calmly, “thank you, Lee. Can I see my gift
now, please?”
“You
sure can! It’s outside.”
Her
coat already being on, Ginger helped the princess put on her cloak.
Lee then led the girls out of the castle. It wasn’t snowing just
yet, but the sky was cloudy; as if Mother Nature was debating if she
wanted it to snow or not. The wind also bit them through their
clothes as soon as they stepped outside. It didn’t take the
princess long to spot her gift. On the right side next to the castle,
there was a delightful black cottage.
The
princess shrieked excitedly: “Is this my gift?”
“Yes,”
beamed Lee, “I got permission from your parents, and I made it
appear especially for you.”
“Thank
you so much, Lee,” she shouted happily, hugging him, “I love it!”
“You’re
welcome!” He hugged her with his wings.
“Can
we go in the cottage?”
“Of
course.”
She
rolled into the door so fast that Lee had to fly, and Ginger had to
run to keep up. The black cottage was lit up with a yellow magical
light. There was a fireplace with a fire roaring already. There was a
spot for wood carving and another spot for sewing. There was also a
mini-library with all of her favorite books; including ‘A
Christmas Carol’,
which she read over eighty times by this time.
“This
is great,” she said breathlessly.
“I’m
glad you like it, Princess,” smiled Lee, crouching slightly because
his wings were too big, “You can come out here any time you want.”
Just
then, from a tiny window, they saw a guard and Aunt Deborah. The
guard was taking her to a waiting horse carriage. She had a bag
packed, and she looked resentful.
“Looks
like you’re getting a break from her, Princess,” said Ginger
happily.
The
princess said nothing.
“I
have always wondered what made her so hard-hearted,” continued
Ginger.
“Probably
something from her past,” remarked Lee.
The
princess finally said: “It was
from
something in her past. Mother told me. My grandfather wasn’t a nice
man or king. He raised his daughters to only be wives. Mother sort of
rebelled; educating herself to be more broad-minded and meeting my
father before their arrangement was official, but Aunt Deborah adored
my grandfather and cared about what he thought. When she was
eighteen, my grandfather arranged for her to marry nineteen-year-old
Prince Nicholas, who was from a powerful kingdom. She convinced
herself that she was in love with him, while the prince couldn’t
care less about her. They were only engaged for two weeks. One day,
he unwisely challenged a dragon and died in the battle. She was
heartbroken, but just two days after his death, Grandfather arranged
for her to marry sixty-year-old King Andrew. During a moment of grief
and rebelliousness, she refused. Grandfather gave her a day to
reconsider, but she couldn’t do it and he became furious, taking
away her royal title. To prevent Grandfather from throwing her out
into the street, Mother hired her to be my tutor.”
Hearing
this, Ginger asked: “So because her father made her feel like she
did something wrong, she treats you badly?”
“Basically.”
“It’s
so sad,” said Lee, “having so much anger and self-hatred that she
hurts others.”
“Yes,”
agreed Ginger, “she’ll never be brave enough to be herself like
our princess here.”
“I
guess being myself is good,” the princess remarked quietly, staring
at the fire.
Crouching
next to her, Lee asked: “Don’t you think being true to yourself
feels amazing?”
“I
do,” she replied, “but even though my aunt is cruel because of my
grandfather, I sometimes wonder if she’s right. Maybe my life would
be easier if I acted more normal.”
“Princess,”
he said, “do you remember what I told you when you asked me if
folding up my wings hurt?”
“Yes,
you said that it was uncomfortable. They squirmed like they were
trapped in a small, tight, restrictive box, trying to get free.”
“Exactly,”
he told her, “Like my wings if you would force yourself to be
someone you’re not, you would feel uncomfortable. You would be
restricted. You would feel trapped in a small and tight box, and no
matter how much you squirm, you wouldn’t be able to get out. I bet
your aunt is in this box right now, longing to break free. Do not let
yourself or anyone else tell you that you need to be somebody
different.”
The
princess smiled: “How do you always know what to say to ease my
mind? Thank you.”
“It’s
a gift. Besides, maybe I like protecting a heretic.”
All
three laughed.
When
they came back into the castle, the princess was happy. When her
parents came toward her, she wanted to tell them how much she loved
the cottage, but she saw their faces and knew they wanted to tell her
Aunt Deborah’s fate.
“Your
aunt left,” said Queen Linda.
“I
know, we saw her leaving. Are you okay, Mother?”
“Yes,
Sweetheart, I’m fine. I’m just sorry she attacked you.”
“I’m
alright, Mother.”
“She
went to the local inn,” continued the queen, “and she’ll work
there to pay for her room. She isn’t welcome here until you say
so.”
“And
since she’s gone,” said King Richard, “we would like to ask you
something, Lee.”
“Yes,
Your Majesties?”
“Would
you like to be both Princess Sapphire’s bodyguard and
tutor?”
Lee
looked shocked at first.
“You
don’t have to tutor her,” added Queen Linda, “if you don’t
want two duties. It’s absolutely fine. It’s just that you’re
very intelligent, and the princess respects you.”
Without
another moment of hesitation, Lee said yes. The princess wanted to
shout out for joy.
Over
the next few years, Lee was Princess Sapphire’s protector, teacher,
and confidant. He taught her about geography, history, science,
literature, art, and much more. She could also talk to him about
anything. If she was frustrated or confused about something, she
would go to him, and he would give her advice, make her laugh, or
comfort her. Things in her life were changing as well. Ginger was no
longer her nanny; she was now her lady-in-waiting. The princess was
allowed to sit in the throne room while her parents held court too,
and she was often asked for her opinion on things.
She
was about to turn sixteen. Four months before her birthday, she could
tell that her party was going to be different that year. It was going
to be a ball. She saw the guest list; some guests were from Evermore
but most were eligible princes from various kingdoms. Then, her
mother had a dressmaker come to the castle with boxes of ballgowns.
Her mother told her that she still could wear anything she wanted,
but her mother figured since sixteen was a special birthday, the
princess could try picking something more elegant. Even though the
princess was dubious about it, she could see her mother had good
intentions. She tried on some gowns. The first few brightly colored
gowns made her look like a gaudy layered cake, and she thought this
might have been a mistake. She then saw the gown in the eighth box.
It was a purple, off-the-shoulder gown with black fringe, and she
tried it on. It fitted like a glove, and she loved the colors. She
had finally chosen a gown to wear on her birthday. The princess could
tell that her mother and Ginger were ecstatic about her decision.
On
the evening of her birthday, she was a bundle of nerves about the
ball. She was just unsure about the whole thing. Her eyebrows were
plucked and thinned, which she thought could be used as a new method
of torture. Her hair was braided and put up, a silver tiara being on
top. She had purple eyeshadow, blush on her cheeks, and red lip rouge
painted on her lips. With her purple and black ballgown, she wore a
silver pentacle necklace, a pair of black dangling earrings, and a
pair of long black gloves. She wore her soft black boots since she
thought no one would see her feet.
While
she was waiting to be announced, she was out in the hallway with Lee
and tucking anxiously at her gown.
He
asked: “Are you nervous, Princess?”
“Is
it noticeable?”
“A
tad.”
“Well,
you do know that this isn’t just a birthday ball, right? My mother
and father invited all eligible princes in this realm!”
“Ah,
yes,” he chuckled, “Your Majesties haven’t been as subtle as
they thought they were. You have to have the suitor before you can
get the happily ever after with the prince charming though.”
“I
know but…”
“Don’t
think of tonight as finding potential suitors,” Lee told her, “Take
the pressure off. Think of it as finding a companion that can
possibly be a suitor sometime in the future. Just have fun tonight.
Bond with people.”
“I
can do that,” the princess said, taking a deep breath, “but what
if…”
“Just
have fun tonight,” he repeated.
Just
then, she was announced and the doors to the ballroom slowly opened.
Before
Lee rolled her in, she asked: “How do I look?”
“Dazzling,”
he replied warmly, “Happy birthday, Princess. Smile.”
The
ballroom was decorated with white heart-shaped lights, red ribbons,
and white and red roses. Swan ornaments were set on all the tables,
and white and red candles were also lit.
“Mother
and Father are definitely not being subtle at all,” Princess
Sapphire whispered under her breath.
Lee
stifled a laugh.
As
she rolled in, there was an audible gasp from the people of Evermore.
They never thought she would ever wear a gown; they were gobsmacked
and couldn’t stop staring. Ginger was even taken aback by how
striking the princess was and she was the one who helped the princess
get ready. Some princes seemed pleasant, while others seemed scared,
bored, overly confident, or power-hungry.
“I
can do this,” she reassured herself.
“Just
be yourself,” Lee said quietly.
Before
the orchestra started playing, Lee whispered in her ear: “If you
want to stop dancing with someone, just snap your fingers above your
head. I’ll come and politely cut in.”
She
nodded.
First,
she danced with Prince Peter. He had slicked-back strawberry-blonde
hair and blue eyes. He wore a green tunic, a green cape, black
trousers, and black shoes. He was the same age as her but acted
younger. Being more nervous than her, he was soaked with sweat. They
barely moved while dancing; he just awkwardly swung her arms to the
music. He also had his foot in his mouth the whole time.
“You
look pretty despite being crippled,” he said shakily, “I mean,
despite being cursed...I mean, you look very nice.”
Giving
him a chance, she asked, talking slowly and loudly so he could
understand her: “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I
don’t know,” he uttered without thinking, “I mean, sort of. My
father made me come. I need to find a bride soon or...I mean…”
She
finally had enough; she stealthily snapped her fingers.
“He
was forced to be here,” she told Lee, as he rolled her away.
“His
loss,” remarked Lee.
She
saw a prince across the ballroom. He was standing by a table. He was
extremely attractive looking with tanned skin, dark-brown eyes, a
smile that could make anyone feel warm and cozy, and a very muscular
body from his physical combat training. He also wore all-white formal
attire and wore his brown hair in a ponytail. She waved and smiled at
him, and he did the same to her. It looked like he was about to walk
over to her when a girl in a pink gown stopped him to talk.
Then,
the princess tried to dance with Prince Joseph. He had brown hair,
gray eyes, and a sly grin that was probably the cause of many girls’
heartbreaks. He was also wearing an all-gray suit. He was more
dancing around her than with her.
“You’re
beautiful despite the wheelchair,” he said, “I’m sure we would
make a cute couple.”
“That’s
kind of you to say…I guess.”
“I
don’t know what you just said,” he said with a cocky grin, “but
I’m sure you want to make beautiful babies with me.”
She
quickly snapped her fingers.
“He’s
disgusting,” she told Lee.
Lee
agreed.
She
saw the prince in white again. She waved again. He waved and tried to
approach her, but yet again, someone stopped him. He gave her a
playful shrug, making her giggle. Lee saw this interaction but hasn’t
said anything yet.
Prince
Gene then asked her to dance. The pale-skinned prince had platinum blonde
hair and black eyes and wore a black tunic, a red cape, black
tights, and black shoes. They didn’t dance though; he just stood in
front of her and spoke creepily to her.
“I’ll
overlook you being crippled,” he said with stomach-turning lust in
his eyes, “I’ll keep you nice and safe in my castle if you’re
obedient and…”
Lee
swiftly got her without her even snapping her fingers. Prince Gene
tried to prevent her from rolling away, calling Lee “a ghastly
creature,” but Lee zapped him with a mini lightning bolt, and the
prince backed away. Then, a castle guard escorted the prince out of
the ball.
Lee,
Ginger, and the princess were dancing together in a circle dance for
a moment.
“I
notice you’ve been eyeing that handsome prince in white,”
whispered Ginger.
“She
has been for an hour,” smiled Lee.
“I
want to ask him to dance,” replied the princess, “but people keep
stopping him and talking.”
Winking
at Ginger, Lee then said: “Princess, I’m going to do something.
Please don’t be vexed at me, you’ll thank me later.”
“Lee,
what are you…?”
He
then pushed her toward the prince. She sped through the crowd, and
people jumped out of the way.
“Whoa!”
She grabbed her wheels so her chair wouldn’t hit his ankles, but
the prince caught her, putting his hands on her armrests. He crouched
slightly, and they were now face to face.
“I’m
so sorry,” she stuttered, “my…I.”
“It’s
okay,” he smiled, “You made quite the entrance.”
She
giggled and said: “I guess I did. I nearly ran over half of the
guests to get to you.”
He
then stood and bowed, saying: “I’m Prince Thomas, but friends
call me Tommy.”
“Hello,
Prince Thomas, I’m…”
“You’re
the belle of the ball,” he declared, “Princess Sapphire! Happy
birthday.”
“Thank
you!”
“Anytime,”
he replied, “I thought the universe didn’t want us to meet.”
“I
know, right?”
She
couldn’t explain why, but she instantly felt at ease and confident
with him. It felt right.
“Since
we defied the universe and I almost crashed into you,” she smiled,
“would you like to dance with me?”
“Definitely.”
Dancing,
he turned and twirled her around, and he crouched to keep eye contact
with her. As they danced, they talked. He could understand her every
word, and she was amazed. He told her he liked wood carving,
swordsmithing, physical combat, and horseback riding. They also
laughed about the most mundane things. They were in their own world.
She danced with him for the rest of the night. He knew about her
curse but didn’t fixate on it.
He
was curious about Lee, asking: “What’s going on with the wings
and horns?”
“He
was born that way,” she told him, “No one knows why. He has
magical abilities too.”
“I
bet the magic is helpful with being a bodyguard,” said the prince.
“Yes,
it is! He’s also my tutor.”
“That’s
brilliant,” replied the prince, “My tutor is just some old
professor!”
“And
by the way,” she added, “he was the one who pushed me to you.”
“I
like him even more!”
By
the end of the night, she was calling him Tommy and they could both
feel the wonderful fluttering sensation of infatuation.
When
he was leaving, he said, kissing her hand: “I hope that we will see
each other again, Princess.”
Blushing
and forgetting about the other people in the room, she replied: “We
will soon, Prince Tommy.”
When
he left, Lee then went to her and asked: “Are you angry?”
“No,”
she exclaimed happily, hugging his arm, “Thank you, you’re the
best! I think you’re my guardian angel.”
After
that night, Prince Tommy came to visit as much as he could. During
their visits, she showed him her cottage, her books, and everything
she made. He would contentedly watch and listen to her, for she was
showing him her passions. She was so comfortable with him that she
even wore her favorite male clothes around him. He told her that she
was beautiful in anything and as long as the clothing made her happy,
he was happy. He also showed her how to throw a punch and ride a
horse. They did everything together; laughing and enjoying each
other’s company. It was obvious that he was her suitor and the
infatuation was slowly turning into love.
Even
though her parents thought the prince was a gentleman, Lee chaperoned
them during these visits. A day before her seventeenth day, they were
out for a walk. The air was crisp, but the young couple’s budding
love kept them warm. It had snowed a month early. Snow was crushing
underneath them. Icicles dangled from all the trees, twinkling in the
dim, bluish sunlight. It looked like an enchanted winter wonderland.
Lee
had to check for fairy circles. While he walked away, he heard Prince
Thomas ask the princess if he could pick her up from her chair. Lee
didn’t understand why at first, but he didn’t stop him. He
trusted the prince wholeheartedly. The princess said yes. From afar,
Lee could see that the prince was just helping the princess stand on
her footrests, swaying her as they talked. Then, he asked her if he
could kiss her. A part of Lee wanted to stop it, but he knew he
shouldn’t. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. The princess said
yes. In a loving and tight embrace, he gently kissed her and she
kissed him back; a moment that her teenage mind had been dreaming
about ever since she met Prince Tommy. Lee then walked back toward
them. He was smiling proudly, for he knew the ‘heretic princess,’
who he had grown to love as a granddaughter, was finally on the path that she paved to her happily ever after.
©Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2024
In loving Memory Of Francisco "Lee" Valdez
My online friend, who encouraged me to be my weird self. Love you, Babe!
Merry Christmas!
Smooches and think Tink!