Hidden Beauty

Once upon a time there was a kingdom atop a mountain, with a castle built of marble, which had gleaming walls, and towers to reach the heavens. However, this kingdom was known all across the land for its kind and handsome prince. Prince Michael was truly beautiful, from his stunning blue eyes to his forgiving heart; all who knew him adored him. That is all except one.

Deep in the dark unforgiving forest, which surrounded the kingdom lived a goblin who truly hated the prince; she wished nothing more than to destroy him and everything he held dear. In her mind if she was forced to live as a wretched ugly soul then all great beauty should be torn from the world. That is why she conjured up the plan to rid the land of their great and marvelous prince. She then began to brew her magic potion and chant her curse.

“Prince who is so loved and true

I now place this curse upon you.

Feel the pain of being me,

And then you will see

What a monster can truly be.”

After the curse was spoken and the fog of her brew covered the kingdom, the prince was awakened by a searing pain. He shook as his limbs stretched and warped, and his bare flesh sprouted fur. Once the change was complete the prince saw his horrifying reflection and let out a heart wrenching howl. Then he fled from the castle and all who adored him.

Many a year passed and the marble kingdom fell into a great darkness. The sun refused to shine over the sorrow stricken castle who could not overcome the loss of their future king. Then one day a young mage named Farasee from the neighboring kingdom came to the castle. She had hopes of gaining an alliance by finding the lost prince.

Her ink colored hair billowed around her pale shoulders as she approached the king and queen. Once she had explained her intentions to them they sent her on her journey with very little hope in their eyes. She rode into the forest as far as her great steed could take her until she was forced to continue on foot. The branches of the trees began to appear as if claws that ripped at her skin and cloak. As she walked alone all the sounds of the forest became more menacing by the second. Every stick snapping was something coming to eat her, every flutter was a giant griffin coming to carry her away, she was terrified but she walked on.

Then she heard the howl that ripped through her heart and tore at her soul. She had to wonder what sort of beast could feel so much pain, however the thought was short lived as she came face to face with a pair of luminous blue eyes. At first she was frozen in her tracks but then the great white wolf stepped out, and she could not help but to marvel at its beauty.

The great beast looked down at her with curiosity, and with a great rumble of a voice said, “What is your purpose for treading this far into my forest?”

Farasee did not waver from her stride as she walked right up to the animal and with a dead on stare stated, “I am Farasee, a mage from a nearby kingdom, and I am here to search for the lost Prince Michael, do you know of his whereabouts?”

The wolf looked very sad at this statement and lowered himself onto the ground, and then he whispered, “I know of this prince you speak of, he used to be much loved but now he is seen as nothing but an animal to all.”

Farasee new that the great wolf had a spell on him, and a strong one at that, but as she saw the sadness in his eyes as he told of Prince Michael, she began to realize this great wolf was the prince himself. She stepped even closer to him and then she placed both hands on the sides of his head and looked him right in the eyes as she said with a smile, “Hello Michael I know this is you the prince that has been lost, and it seems that the great spell that was cast upon you to destroy your beauty was not successful.” “While it did turn you to a beast that is terrifying at first glance, you are too kind a person to be totally over taken.” “I know of this spell and if you had fallen into a dark hatred of the one to cast the spell and all those that fled from your presence you would have become uglier as time passed.”

The prince was speechless as he looked this beautiful woman in the face. It was true he simply could not feel hatred for those that shunned him or the person who did this to him; it was simply not in his nature. Then just as the prince began to realize the magnitude of what Farasee was telling him the branches parted and the very goblin that had placed the curse upon him came out into the open. She looked both the prince and mage up and down with obvious disgust. She could not stand that this breathtaking beauty had come to save the prince. Nor could she tolerate the fact that the prince had become such a marvelous creature. She was sure he would become like her bitter and ugly in his sorrow.

The goblin spat, “How dare you come to save this prince, he has not even fallen prey to his punishment.”

She raised her hands to cast a curse upon the mage but the prince stepped in front of her, “No, you will not harm her.”

He approached the goblin and look down at her with sad eyes. Then he leaned in and whispered, “I know that as everyone else deep inside of your there is a beautiful person just waiting to come out, and I wish for you to know that I forgive you for all that you have done.”

The goblin was speechless as tears ran down her sickening face. Then as Michael and Farasee looked on the horrible goblin before them was surround by mystical waves of light and became a beautiful woman. Her emerald green eyes looked at the prince with great regret. She looked at Michael and said, “O great prince I will forever be in your debt, I am Seria from a kingdom far away.” “Years ago many of those around me tried to hurt me by telling me how ugly I was, and as time passed I believed them until I was so wrought with self-hatred I was powerless to stop a witches curse.”

The prince looked at Seria and smile his features no longer wolf like he was once again the prince of dreams. He placed both hands on Seria and helped her to her feet then he looked at her with kindness and said, “Seria no one can make you feel less than what you are without your consent, you are beautiful and I hope you can go on and have a blessed life.”

After they all returned to the kingdom Seria with hope in her heart left for home, however, Farasee decided to stay to see if the great prince would also make a great king.





The End