Romanogers Collections

Cursed

Many years ago, there was a legend about a kingdom called Ruthenia. It was famous for not just the beauty of its land but the beauty of its people. Everyone valued beauty over anything. Men, women, children, and even their things should be beautiful. Their standards for beauty was so high that those who were not gifted will be criticized and banished from the kingdom.

One day, there was a short cloaked figure slowly making her way to the palace gates and wished to see the king and queen who are currently overjoyed by the birth of their newborn daughter. The guards were not allowed to let in visitors but the person's beautiful voice placed them in trance. The person, who is a woman, shamelessly welcomed herself in.

She made her way towards the nursery where the baby is kept. The doors were unlocked and their majesties were not present in the room so she went in. The woman admired beauty as well and she only wanted to see the lovely newborn, not planning anything that will harm it.

The woman almost teared up when she saw the sleeping child. She is certain that the child will one day grow into a beautiful young woman. The baby started stirring in her sleep. It looked like it was about to cry so the woman picked her up and cradled her like the baby is her own.

The king and queen suddenly barged in the room. Startling the woman and the baby. It started to cry and the queen desperately wanted to get her daughter but she is too afraid that the woman might do something unpleasant.

"Who are you?" The king asked. His voice filled with so much authority and his face contorted with rage when he saw the woman carrying his child. "What did you do to my princess?"

"Your majesties," The woman slightly bowed. "I have no ill intentions with your daughter. I simply wanted to see how lovely she is and I could see that she will grow as lovely as the queen."

The woman's words were kind but the royals are not convinced that she will not do anything to harm them. The cloak seems to be shady enough for them to suspect her.

"Reveal your face." The king said.

The woman's lips, who are the only feature of her face that could be seen, tugged to the side and made it look like what the king had said was something amusing.

The woman removed her the hood of her cloak and revealed her dry and wrinkly face. Her hair gray and looked about 80 years old but what shocked the couple was the big scar that ran from the right of her forehead down to her chin. Her right eye is blind and white. In another word, she is ugly.

"I just wish to give your daughter a blessing if you would let me." Her face may be ugly but her voice was beyond ethereal.

The king gulped and slowly nodded. "Yes, you can. But hand us our daughter first."

The woman moved closer to them and hands the infant with care to her parents.

"Now, may I?" The woman smiled ever so sweetly.

After the king thought that their daughter was in great care now, he made the wrong decision that led to their misery.

"No ugly creature is allowed to bless my daughter in anyway." The king said in disgust.

The smile on the woman's face disappeared and was replaced with a shock and offended expression.

"You are not allowed in the kingdom and you trespassed in the palace. You even placed your filthy hand on our child, you ugly witch!" The king unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the woman.

"Darling," The queen called to her husband. Taking her daughter from her husband as she noticed the atmosphere changing while the woman's face frowned.