A cute little fairytale I devised within my imaginings today....
Once upon a time there lived a princess. A princess who lived in an old and weary castle, filled with dark riddles and secrets that hushed and snuffed any candlelight. No princes or suitors dared enter; for fear that such darkness would ensnare them as well. Not even the bravest of hearts challenged what lurked there and guarded its precious prize.
This princess was not the most beautiful or the most elegant, she was quiet, kind, creative, courageous, intelligent, and had a heart of gold that she wore on her sleeve. Her only companions were the family of spiders that spun diligently in the corners of her room.
She occupied her time humming, never singing, tip-toeing, never dancing, and whispering stories to the spiders, never fully talking aloud. Silence kept her, it made her afraid to utter anything above a murmur or do anything that might cause a racket.
One fateful day, a man in golden armor appeared with a torch. He held the flame high with his sword drawn, armor clanking with every footstep as he approached the castle. Upon his head, a mighty crown to match his gilded plates.
“My princess, I am a Prince of a faraway land, I shall see to the destruction of this creature and release you from this horrible place!”
He entered bravely, triumphantly making his way into the depths of the castle where the beast waited in roiling anticipation. She could almost hear his racing heart, before it was silenced with a cry. It was another crown to add to the beast’s collection.
On that same day, later in the afternoon, a knight upon horseback approached the castle, waving his banner high.
“My fair maiden, I will rescue you from your imprisonment! Fear not, this darkness shall soon be introduced to the light!”
He charged his noble steed into the castle, not knowing what waited within until it was too late. She heard the almighty roar of the beast as it came alive and silenced the progress of the knight.
Then, as the evening grew dark and night cloaked the sun in black silk, a minstrel approached the castle, singing soft sweet melodies that would soothe any savage beast.
“My lady, trouble yourself no longer with this castle, for I shall be the one to set you free!” He too made his way into the castle, no light, no armor, merely his tunic and his instrument to guide him. He was a fool to think that he would succeed with so little protection and no weapon to defend himself. She listened and waited. Before she knew it, music bounced off the walls, echoing, moving every which way until she herself was rendered confounded. The music was everywhere, the frivolous plucking and stringing of chords filled her head to the point she did not know where the source was coming from. It was then the minstrel appeared within her doorway, still singing and playing as loudly as possible, beckoning for her to follow. She gathered her hampering skirts and hurriedly followed the nimble steps of the minstrel. They flew through the stygian chambers, blindly following their feet as they created such noise and such music that the beast could not find or trace their progress through the shaking labyrinth. Stone began to crumble from the intensity of the echoes, the castle began to tremble and wither away behind them. It wasn’t until after they escaped the castle that he stopped playing the tune and looked back at his progress. The castle was nowhere to be seen, all that was left was a pile of rubble that once guarded and held her captive for many years.
“You are safe my lady,” he smiled, eyes dancing with a victorious light and laughter. Yet when he saw her face, his victory was soon halted. “My lady….why do you cry?” He lifted her porcelain chin to meet his curious gaze, salty tears leaving hot rivers down her flushed cheeks.
“The spiders….” She wept, her voice shaky and uneven, but still above a whisper now that she was free of that cursed place.
“Spiders? Why, there they are perched upon your shoulder.”
The princess ogled at her shoulder and sure enough, there they were! The tiny family, eight legs and all, sat upon her embroidered sleeves, safe and sound.
“You did it. You saved me, you saved the spiders, and you killed the beast!”
His smile was contagious, his lips spreading into a charming smile that could illuminate the sky all by itself. She was tempted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, but she didn’t want to hurt the spiders. So, instead, she cupped the sides of his face with her hands and leaned in for a gentle and rewarding kiss.
“I would save all the spiders in the kingdom if it meant spending a lifetime with you and your golden heart.”
Their laughter filled the air, she felt her voice unleash at long last as she allowed herself to smile and feel the happiness that had been unlocked. As he played a merry tune, she sang to her heart’s content. They lived far away, somewhere by the sea, where they could sing and dance all day long and pursue the greatest happiness of all.
The end.
~Piper
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