The Virtuous Princess

The Virtuous Princess - part 1 - The Prince

Once upon a time, in a distant land called Humanity, there lived a mighty king. He ruled over his subjects kindly and justly, with the support of his gentle queen. But the people of the land were cheerless, for a dark shadow had loomed over the kingdom for as long as they could remember.

As the years wore on, King Fortitude and his queen were blessed with the birth of a handsome baby boy. They named him Courageous, for even as a child, he was the boldest and bravest prince in all the lands.

As he grew up, his courage, and fearlessness became legendary. He was a champion of the people, kind, strong, and brave hearted, always ready to fight for truth and justice, for rich and poor alike.

But still the darkness loomed.

One terrible winter's night, a great dragon came to the land, preying on unsuspecting farms and villagers and leaving a line of scorched earth in his wake.

The people of Humanity knew of the mythical dragon only from legend. Still, they recognized him to be the source of the darkness in their land.

No one knew from where or why the great dragon had come, only that he was evil and merciless. Just the mention of his name sent waves of fear rippling throughout the kingdom of Humanity. He lived in shadows and hunted at night, for his name was Deception and he was the oldest and mightiest of all dragons.

But Prince Courageous was no ordinary man, and he was not easily scared. When he came of age, he rode out to meet the great dragon, following it into its lair.

A great battle ensued, and with one mighty strike, Prince Courageous thrust his great sword, Valor, into the very heart of the dragon of darkness and falsehood.

But the great dragon roared in anger and pulled out the sword. "You cannot kill me, Courageous," said the mighty dragon with a cruel sneer. "For it is not your destiny to do so. The kingdom of Humanity will never be free of me until the day my absolute opposite sits on the Diamond Throne."

The dragon, though immortal, could still feel pain. And it retreated into its lair until it was fit enough to fly and hunt again.

When word of Prince Courageous's temporary but still great victory over the mighty dragon Deception reached the ears of the kings and rulers of the surrounding lands, every princess from far and wide wanted to marry the heir to the kingdom of Humanity.

But Queen Grace had her own plans for her son. She consulted with her advisor, an old wise woman, in whose opinion and counsel she had grown to have complete trust.

"The princess who marries my son must be extraordinary," said Queen Grace to the old woman. "Find me the most beautiful and virtuous princesses in all the lands, and then my son shall choose his bride."

The wise woman, after much consideration, informed the queen that she had searched far and wide and had found seven beautiful princesses, all of royal birth, one of whom would be a perfect bride for the prince.

"Each of these princesses is special," said the wise woman to the queen, "for each of them was gifted a divine virtue at birth, granted by the three good fairies of The Gold-Leaf Woods. And so, each princess is named after the particular virtue that she possesses."

Queen Grace was delighted, and she agreed to host a great ball during the upcoming spring festival. All the nobility of the surrounding lands and beyond were to be invited. Unique gold-leafed invitations went out to the seven princesses, inviting them to come and meet Prince Courageous, so that he may choose his bride.

When the day of the ball arrived, guests from far and wide - some even from lands across the great eastern border and beyond - came to see whom the bravest prince in all the lands would choose to be his princess.

The majestic Spring Palace glittered with thousands of candles, which, when reflected in the magnificent crystal chandeliers, threw rainbow-coloured flecks of dancing light, sparkling all over the enchanting ballroom. Marvelous, beautifully worked tapestries lined the walls. Gold-gilded chairs and mirrors, delightful paintings, and other exquisite furniture were interspaced tastefully among them.

A grand marble staircase led from the massive doorway down into the ballroom. At one end, the great Diamond Throne where the king and queen sat glinted and sparkled in the candlelight.

Beside his parents stood Prince Courageous. He looked dashing in his midnight-blue doublet and breaches trimmed with silver. His great sword, Valor, hung on his belt, nonchalantly at his side.

Seven smaller golden thrones studded with priceless jewels sat in a row beside him, one for each of the princesses, who were just starting to arrive.

The herald announced the arrival of the first royal guest. Princess Constance was her name, and as she paused at the top of the stairs, the crowd stilled. She looked breathtaking and every inch a princess. A statuesque beauty, she walked with her head held high, wearing a flowing white gown embellished with priceless pearls and bordered with silver and ermine. Her auburn hair, glinting with sparks of red, was artistically piled atop her head in an elaborate design.

When she reached the king and queen, she curtsied gently. Wisdom and conviction gleamed in her amber eyes, and she was beautiful. The prince bowed politely and somewhat stiffly escorted her to her throne. Although she was attentive, poised, and had all the qualities most prized in a princess of royal birth, the prince knew from the first moment he saw her that she was not the one.

Next came Princess Humility, beautiful and modest, in a high-necked cream gown embroidered with pink and gold flowers. A simple diadem of gold adorned her honey-coloured hair, which fell about her shoulders in cascading waves. She curtsied deeply and respectfully to the king and queen and took her place on the throne next to Princess Constance.

The third princess to enter was beautiful but stern with long, flowing, jet-black hair. Her skin was a deep, burnished bronze, which glowed with an ethereal golden hue. She wore a crimson gown and a gold tiara studded with rubies. She was Princess Justice, only child and heir apparent to the mountainous kingdom of Righteousness. Her unyielding dark eyes shone brightly as she strode into the room with a calm and resolute air. She greeted her hosts gracefully and took the hand of the prince as he led her to her place among the other princesses.

The prince was polite and courteous to all the princesses, but his heart still searched for its other half.

Next, the herald announced the arrival of Princess Charity from the royal house of Compassion, dressed simply in a white satin gown, enhanced by the silver robes that flowed about her as she walked. She was discreet in her bearing and wore a carved circlet of pure silver, in her long, wavy, dark hair. Composed and vigilant, she, too, took her place among the others.

Then came a princess completely veiled from head to toe, with only her gleaming green eyes showing. Her gown was of gold damask, and her headdress and veil finely spun gold tulle. She was Princess Prudence from the great walled city of Integrity on the eastern shores of the land.

She, too, failed to stir the interest of the prince.

The king and queen began to get restless. Queen Grace had been quite certain that one of these princesses would be perfect for her son.

But the prince wasn't so sure that agreeing to his mother's request was such a good idea. So far, none of the princesses to enter the ballroom held any appeal for him. They were all beautiful, of course, and royal-which, due to his position, was something that duty demand he respect. He admired all the princesses, especially the virtues that they possessed, but somehow none of them were for him.

He knew in his heart that his one true love possessed a virtue more exceptional and rare than any he had come across so far.

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