The Sleepy Princess

                                      The Sleepy Princess
                                                    By F.R. Jackson
                                                    Collaboration by M. Hockett


Long, long ago there was a young girl named Saniya.  She lived in a beautiful stone cottage with her mother, Lady Kelis.  It was just the two of them and they were inseparable.

Their cottage was situated on the edge of the kingdom of Felicity.  In Felicity lived Saniya's father.  He was the Crowned Prince.  However, this was not known to Saniya.  For whenever Saniya would ask her mother who her father is and where he lived, her mother only said that he was a wonderful man who was away serving the kingdom.

Unfortunately, Lady Kelis knew the truth.  She and Prince Amari had fallen in love when they met in the kingdom's market place several years before today.  The Prince had been out surveying the Kingdom and Lady Kelis was shopping for fabric to make a new dress.  It was love a first sight.  At the time of their meeting, Lady Kelis was only known as Kelis of Rominia, a province right outside the kingdom of Felicity.  She was common; the daughter of a pauper and a seamstress.  Still, Prince Amari didn't see her that way and asked for her hand in marriage.

Prince Amari's parents were not pleased with this decision.  However, his father, the King decided to give his consent for the sake of his son's happiness.  Unfortunately, his mother, the Queen, still did not think Kelis of Rominia was a good enough bride for her son.

In an effort to ease the disapprovals regarding her station, the King decided that he would change Kelis' title and declared that would now and forever more be known as Lady Kelis, Princess of Felicity.  With this proclamation, Prince Amari and Lady Kelis were married immediately.

Within a year of their marriage was born their first child, a baby girl, Saniya.  But not long after Saniya was born, she and Lady Kelis disappeared from the palace.  The Prince woke to find is wife and daughter missing and a note in the crib of the nursery.

"My Prince, please forgive me, but the life of royalty is too overwhelming for me to bear.  I am taking Saniya and we are going away so that we may live a normal, common life.  Please do not try to find us.  Love, Lady Kelis."

The Prince was heartbroken and was never seen outside of the palace walls again.

What the Prince didn't know was that Lady Kelis and baby Saniya had been kidnapped by the Queen's men.  She had arranged their abduction so that her son could be allowed to find what she thought was a more suitable wife for a prince.  Instead of a commoner who was instantly made into a lady by the proclamation of a king.

The Queen had her men take Lady Kelis and Saniya to an old cottage she once owned, on the edge of the kingdom.  When they arrived, the Queen was waiting, but she was not alone.  Beside her stood an old and frail looking woman with long, curly salt and pepper hair.  Her hazel eyes focused on baby Saniya as she began chanting and waving her twig-like fingers over her head.

"Never close your eyes at night, never take a nap when light.  Stay awake your whole life through; do not sleep for when you do, you will sleep into your doom."

"No, no!  What are you doing?  Why are you doing this?" asked Lady Kelis with tears in her eyes. 

The Queen spoke..."You will stay away from my son.  You are unfit to be the bride of a prince.  If you return to the palace or try to contact Prince Amari in anyway, I will have the witch cast a spell that will cause Saniya to drift into the never-ending sleep that awaits her.  Do you understand?"

"I do." Lady Kelis replied.  The Queen and her men and the witch all left Lady Kelis as she sobbed and held her daughter close to her.

Saniya has now grown into a beautiful young lady, knowing nothing of her father being a prince or the curse that was placed upon her.  She only knows that she has never slept a day in her life.  "Mother, tell me again why it is that I do not sleep but you do."

"It is because you have been blessed with the gift to view the world in its entirety, never to miss a moment of its wonders and beauty.  A precious gift, I assure you," her mother explained.  Each time Lady Kelis gave Saniya this made up explanation, her heart would break.  For years, Lady Kelis had been seeking the council and advice of witches, apothecaries, sorcerers and other magical beings, searching for an anecdote or cure to her daughter's curse.

One day, while picking flowers in the garden, Saniya yawned.  It was the first time she had ever yawned in her entire life.  She was concerned for she didn't know what was happening.  Her eyes felt heavier than usual and when she blinked, her eyes would stay closed longer and longer every time.

Saniya ran into the house to her mother to tell her what was happening.  "Mother, mother, something's happening to me," she shouted.  "What...what is it my child? Asked Lady Kelis.

"I'm not sure.  My mouth keeps opening wide to take in deep breaths and my eyes feel heavy.  I've never felt this way before.  Is something wrong with me?"

Lady Kelis looked into her daughter's eyes and saw the redness.  Then suddenly, it happened again...Saniya yawned.  "See.  Did you see?" Saniya asked of her mother.  "What was that?"

"Oh no!  No!  This can't be happening?"  Lady Kelis looked at her daughter with wide eyes full of fear and sorrow.

"What is it mother?"  Lady Kelis took Saniya by the hand and decided that she must tell her the truth about her past.

"No!  A curse!  You said it was a gift!" shouted Saniya.  "Please forgive me my dear.  I was only trying to protect you.  I didn't want you to worry.  I've been searching for years for a way to reverse the curse.  I am so sorry."  Lady Kelis pleaded with her daughter to understand why she didn't tell her the truth from the start.

"So, my father is the Prince of Felicity...and you are his Princess?  Wow.  All this time I thought I was a normal, ordinary girl." thought Saniya.

The day continued to pass as Saniya grew more and more fatigue.  Lady Kelis began to panic.  "I must go and find someone that can help you.  I must go into town." she thought aloud.  "Saniya, you have to do whatever it takes to stay awake.  Do you understand me?  You cannot fall asleep!"

Saniya promised her mother she would not fall asleep.  As Lady Kelis walked out the door, she turned to look at her daughter, hoping that when she returned she would still be awake.  "I will be back as soon as I can."

In town, Lady Kelis knocked on the door of everyone she thought could possibly help her daughter.  She was growing weary and disenchanted; for there seemed to be no hope in finding a cure for Saniya.  Then, she noticed a little house in a nook of the marketplace that she had not seen before.  On it hung a sign reading, "Enchantress Nia."

She walked towards the door of the house, but before Lady Kelis had a chance to knock, the door opened and a small, gentle voice whispered, "You may enter."  Lady Kelis walked inside and looked around for where the voice came from, but she saw no one.
Then suddenly, a figure appeared in the shadows of the house.  From the shadow emerged a beautiful ebony-eyed enchantress with long flowing hair as black as onyx.  "Hello, I've been waiting for you." said the enchantress to Lady Kelis.  "You've been waiting for me?  Who are you?  How do you know who I am?" asked Lady Kelis.

"I am as you read...I am Enchantress Nia.  My home is on the Isle of Melanasia, but I came here to help you.  I was told of a Lady who lives on the edge of the Kingdom of Felicity who has been searching for a cure to the spell of endless days and never-ending slumber.  Are you not that Lady?" asked Nia.  "I am.  I am the one you were told of.  But how...who...?"  Lady Kelis did not understand how Enchantress Nia came to hear of her trouble.  For the Isle of Melanasia is four kingdoms away from Felicity.  How could the news of her search have traveled so far?

"Can you really help my daughter?" asked Lady Kelis.  "I'm afraid she has begun to get sleepy and I don't know how to keep her awake.  All these years, I have only looked for a cure for the spell to allow her to sleep and awake like everyone else.  I never thought the spell would put her to sleep."

"The spell can only cause endless days for the first 20 years of a child's life.  After the 21st birthday, the second act of the spell begins; the induction of sleep.  There is nothing to keep her from falling to sleep, but there is someone that can wake her from her slumber.  A prince...a prince has to come, kiss her forehead, take her in his arms and lie beside her until the morning dawns.  But it cannot be just any prince.  The one that lies beside her must be one that falls in love with her at first sight and bestows upon her, true love's kiss."  Lady Kelis listened as the Enchantress explained to her the only hope of her daughter's return from eternal sleep.  Enchantress Nia continued.  "There is one thing I can offer.  The incantation used on your daughter puts her to sleep, but does not allow it to be a peaceful one.  It is usually accompanied by nightmares, causing restless nights filled with endless tossing and turning.  I can give you an elixir that will turn the nightmares into pleasant dreams, allowing her to sleep peacefully.  If she is not awakened by her prince before a year of sleeping has passed, the nightmares will return and she will be lost in slumber for all time."

Lady Kelis took the elixir and thanked the Enchantress for her help.  She now had a sense of hope that her daughter could be saved.  Still, she knew there was no time to waste in finding the prince that would restore her daughter's eternal night to day.

Back at the cottage, Saniya was feeling drowsier than ever.  She was standing, trying to stay awake, but her legs were growing weak.  Saniya stumbled over to the lounge in the parlor in the middle of the house.  "I'll just sit for a moment.  Just long enough to regain my strength." she told herself.  But almost as soon as her head touched the back of the chair, her eyes closed.  Behind her closed eye lids she began a battle between sleep and slumber, fatigue and fantasy, dreams and dreariness.  And soon, she fell into a deep, dark sleep.

Just then, Lady Kelis flung open the door and saw her daughter lying limp on the lounge.  Her eyes were closed, but her face was troubled.  "Oh no, she's asleep!"  Lady Kelis ran to Saniya's side.  She could tell by the expression on her face that Saniya was having a nightmare.  Lady Kelis took the elixir from her pocket, the one given to her by Enchantress Nia.  She gently held open Saniya's mouth and poured the elixir in.  Within a matter of seconds Saniya's countenance changed and a peaceful smile came over her face.  Lady Kelis then carried Saniya to her room and gently laid her on the bed.

Six months had passed.  Everyone from the Kingdom of Felicity to the surrounding kingdoms knew the tale of the young girl cursed to sleep for eternity.  Prince's from all over had come to the little cottage, kissing her forehead and staying beside her through the night, hoping to see her wake with the morning's light.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Prince Amari had a visitor.  It was the son of an old friend, Prince Vincent of Lithoway.  "Vincent, how are you?" asked Prince Amari.  Although many years had passed since his wife and daughter's disappearance, the prince was still very solemn and disenchanted.  "I am doing great Your Majesty.  How are you?" Prince Vincent returned the greeting.  "I am well.  What brings you to Felicity?"  "I am here to find the sleeping princess." he answered.  "Sleeping princess?  What sleeping princess?  Here, in Felicity?"  Prince Amari was confused.  For he was so withdrawn from the world around him, he had not heard of Saniya and her curse.

"Yes, she lives in Felicity on the edge of the kingdom I'm told.  A young maiden by the name of Saniya has been cursed with endless sleep and can only be awakened by a prince.  I've come to see if I am that prince." explained Vincent.

"Wait, did you say her name is Saniya?"  Prince Amari asked earnestly.  "Yes," answered Prince Vincent, "I am sure that is what I was told."  "I shall go with you to find her.  Let us leave immediately."  For the first time in years, there was a gleam of hope and excitement in Prince Amari's eyes.  He thought to himself; could it really be Saniya...my sweet little princess?

They began their journey to the edge of the Kingdom.  But not too soon after they left, the Queen came looking for her son.  She couldn't find him anywhere in the palace so she questioned the staff regarding his whereabouts.  No one knew where the prince had gone.  No one had even realized that after all these years he had finally left the palace.  Baffled, the Queen went to see her most trusted advisor; the witch that had cast the spell upon Saniya so long ago.  "Vera," she said in a frantic voice. "Amari has left the palace, but no one seems to know where he went.  Can you look into your crystal waters and tell me where I might find him."  "Of course my dear." said the old woman in a crackling tone.

She walked over to a pond that was in a room off to the side of the house, concealed by a magic wall.  The water in the pond was as crystal and clear as glass.  She waved her hand over it, just as she'd done when she cursed baby Saniya.  "Show me Prince Amari." she commanded the water.  "Show me where to find him."  Suddenly, the water began to boil and ripple and shadowy visions came into view.  There, in the waves of the water was Prince Amari and his companion, Prince Vincent.  "They are headed to the edge of the kingdom." Vera revealed.  "They are going to the cottage of the sleeping princess."  The Queen looked at Vera.  "No. No! He must not find them.  I have to go and stop him!"  She hastened out of the door to her carriage and ordered her men to ride as fast as they could to the cottage.

At the cottage, another prince was leaving disappointed that the princess did not wake after his kiss.  As she walked the prince out and thanked him for his efforts, Lady Kelis notice to riders off in the distance.  As they came closer, she began to notice the one riding a beautiful snow white horse.  "It couldn't be, could it?"  She took another look.  "Oh my goodness, it is!  It's him, Prince Amari!"  Instantly her body was enraged with goose bumps and frenzy.  "What do I do?  What will I say?" she thought.  But there was no time to think.  For her guest were upon her, there, at her door.

Prince Amari stopped and stared in amazement.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  He jumped down from his horse and walked towards Lady Kelis.  The Prince was speechless.  Part of him wanted to take her in his arms and hold her for all the nights he had not been able to.  But he also remembered the cold and heartless note he found the morning of their disappearance.  "Kelis, is it really you?" It was all that he could think to say.  "Yes Amari, it is me."  She responded.  He could see the tears swelling up behind her eyes.  Prince Vincent watched and listened as they greeted one another.  He had long been told of the disappearance of his father's friends' family.  It was then that he realized that the sleeping princess was Prince Amari's daughter.

"Kelis, what has happened to Saniya?  Is she ok?  Why did you leave me?"  Lady Kelis looked into Amari's eyes with the deepest affection and lead him into the house.  Prince Amari and Prince Vincent sat down in the parlor of the cottage and listened to Lady Kelis as she told them about the night she and Saniya disappeared.  Prince Amari couldn't believe what he was hearing.  He was both relieved and appalled.  He was relieved that Lady Kelis had not left of her own will.  But he was upset to find out that this had all been the doing of his own mother.

Lady Kelis took Prince Amari and Vincent to the room where Saniya lie sleeping.  Prince Amari took one look at her and smiled.  "She's beautiful.  Just like her mother."  He stepped away and took Lady Kelis' hand.  They both watched as Price Vincent walked over to Saniya and kneeled beside her.

What no one knew was at the very moment, Saniya began dreaming a new dream.  She was dreaming of her reality.  In her mind, what was happening on the outside of her closed eyes began happening on the inside.  She dreamt that Prince Vincent had come into her room and was kneeling beside her as she lay in her bed asleep.  As Prince Vincent leaned over to kiss her forehead, she saw the same in her dream.  After he kissed her, he put his arms around her, held her and lied down beside her awaiting the next day's dawn.  Saniya could feel the warmth of his arms around her in her dream.

The night was long with anticipation and anxiety, but night eventually gave way to day.  Prince Vincent woke to find his fair princess still sleeping peacefully.  The spell had not been broken.  He stretched and got up to express his regrets to Lady Kelis and Prince Amari.  But just as he began to walk out of the bedroom, he heard a small angelic voice say, "Please, don't leave me."  He turned around and looked at Saniya lying in bed with her almond eyes looking up at him.  He rushed to her side and took her hand and vowed that he would never leave her for as long as she lived.

They walked into the parlor to surprise Lady Kelis and Prince Amari with the wonderful news of Saniya's awakening.  Instead, when they got there, they saw the Queen standing there with her men and Prince Amari protecting Lady Kelis.  "Tell your men to stay away mother.  Kelis and Saniya are returning to the palace with me and there is nothing you can do about it." advised the Prince.  "Sweetheart, I was only trying to do what is best for you.  It was all out of love."  The Queen tried to persuade her son, but he was not convinced.  Then, without warning, the she ordered her men to take Lady Kelis and Saniya from the cottage.  Prince Amari and Prince Vincent drew their swords and fought off every man, one by one until none of them remained.

The four of them headed back to the palace.  A double wedding was held the day after their return.  Prince Amari and Lady Kelis renewed their vows while Prince Vincent and Princess Saniya exchanged vows for the first time.  And of course, they all lived Happily Ever After!