The Lonely Prince

One beautiful day in a faraway land, a young prince stood looking out of his castle. He was a fine prince, fair of face and with a gentle nature. He enjoyed living in his land which his parents, the king and queen, ruled fairly. The family were beloved by their subjects and the kingdom lived in harmony. The prince was not entirely happy though, for he had one question he could not answer - where was his princess? It was the law of the land that his wife must be a princess. He met many girls, beautiful and royal of birth but still, he knew that he would know in his heart when he found his true princess.

The king and queen, who loved their son dearly, knowing that this would complete his happiness, decided to help by throwing a ball and inviting all the princesses from the nearby lands. The prince was so excited, he felt sure this would finally be his time. He ran to tell his dearest friend Rosa the news. Rosa was a maid at the castle; she had been found alone in the woods crying as a child and the king and queen, kind as they were, had taken her to the castle and allowed her to live as a maid servant. The prince and Rosa had grown up playing together and he trusted her with all his hopes and dreams. He found her, as usual in the cellar scrubbing the floors. He looked at her fondly, in her maid’s uniform, covered in dirt ‘Oh dear Rosa, I have such exciting news! I am to find my princess at last!’ and with that he told her all about the plans for the ball. Rosa smiled sweetly at her prince for she was happy for him but when he left she allowed herself just one tear, for she loved the prince herself and knew that when he found his princess he would be lost to her forever. True love as it is though; she would place his happiness above her own.

The day of the ball came and the prince was so excited, he did not know how to pass the time until that night. After being fitted for his grand suit he decided to ride his horse for a while. He stayed out longer than he thought and before he knew it he was late! Alas, on his haste to ride back to the castle he tore his new suit on a hanging branch. As he rode back into the castle grounds he saw Rosa carrying some milk across the courtyard. She saw the look of dismay on his face and rushed at once to him ‘What is it my prince?’ she exclaimed, ‘Oh Rosa I have torn my new suit and the ball is about to start, there is no time to get the tailor to repair the suit! How will I meet my princess like this?’ The prince rested his head in his hands. ‘Fear not my prince, I can mend your suit, here pass me the jacket and I will get some thread’ and just like that Rosa quickly and deftly mended the prince’s jacket until it was as good as new. ‘Oh Rosa, what would I do without you? You are always there just when I need you!’ the prince beamed and then raced off to the ball and the waiting princesses.

As he arrived at the ballroom and looked around, he was astonished at the array of beautiful princesses in their colourful gowns and opulent jewels. He felt dizzy as he was swept around the room and introduced to more and more of them. Why yes, he thought to himself that they were indeed very beautiful princesses, but not the most beautiful he had ever seen. And yes, certainly they were very amiable and pleasing in manner but their company did not give him the joy that he knew his princess’s would. He felt more and more forlorn as the night wore on. How did he know these feelings he was so sure of feeling for his princess? How could he know that they did not have what he was looking for? Then he realised....Rosa! It is Rosa’s beauty, wisdom and kindness he was searching for all this time. He ran from the ball to her and confessed his feelings and his despair at knowing he could not be with her. As much as he loved Rosa, and he now realised how much he did, he could not marry a maid servant and go against his family and the law! His tears of sadness and her tears of joy at realising his love for her mingled and before them appeared a fairy king and queen. Thus it was revealed that Rosa, as a young fairy princess, had seen the prince as a sweet young boy and fallen so in love with him that she begged her parents to let her be human so she could be with him. They had acquiesced and let her grow up in the castle as a human girl. At learning she was indeed a princess and they could be married, the prince was too happy for words. He had his princess all along and he did not need to find her, for she had found him.

                                                THE END