Fairy Tale: Part Three
Word came to the second prince that the princess still lay sleepless on her garden pallet. Taking his chance, he immediately went to that certain grassy hilltop. He lay down, and was about to “drop off” when he felt a fairy’s wings against his face. (It is quite incomprehensible that fairies should fly around treacherous places when they are so easily caught, but the glimmer of sleep beneath silken eyelashes is too great a temptation. They simply cannot resist it.) He gently caught the fairy’s wings between his fingers. (Extremely gently, so as not to harm him.) The fairy lowered his eyes in resignation and said, “All right. Your wish, and quick. I am meeting a half past eleven fairy at quarter till and as you know, they are quite rare.”“The princess’s sleep!” pronounced the prince in ringing tones.
A glimmer appeared underneath the fairy’s eyelashes. (Really, they are terribly contrary.) “So unselfish!” he cried. “Is there nothing for yourself that you would like?
“No, there is nothing, I want simply for the princess to have her sleep.”
“Not even riches or fabulous treasure?”
The prince hesitated. Riches were so tempting. I’ll just hear what he has to offer and then I’ll know for future reference, he thought to himself.
Immediately, visions of glimmering silver and great sparkling diamonds danced before his eyes. The prince reached out a finger to touch the largest diamond and the entire vision dissolved into a wisp of fuchsia mist.
“Not so fast,” tinkled the fairy. “First, there is a test. You must return immediately to the princess and tell her how much you love her. If your love is perfectly true and pure, her sleep will come back to her and the riches…who knows.” The fairy dropped his eyelid in a wink that both gave hope and infuriated. He blew away on a gust of pearl gray wind.
The prince lost no time returning to the princess’s lonely bed. He took one of her frail hands in his and looked into her eyes. Really, her eyes are rather uncomfortable. The prince considered this for a second and then mentally shook himself. “I love you so much princess, more than…” The prince completely lost his train of thought. In fact, he could even hear the bell as it left the station. All he could think of were those great glimmering diamonds and all of that silver, shining like the night sky.
The night sky! That is certainly poetic enough! The prince took a deep breath and finished, “I love you more than even the moon and stars!”
The princess looked deeply into his eyes, straight to his heart, but could not even see it, so covered it was in silver and diamonds. A tear streaked its way down her cheek, and then another.
The prince hung his head in shame and left to serve his two years of slavery. Some things may be overlooked or forgiven, but never when a prince causes tears in any maiden. All true princes know this, and ours never even considered arguing it.
posted by whimsicalfaery @ 2:37 PM
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