Once upon a time, in the land of wishes and dreams, there lived a princess named Michelle. Michelle's castle was a haven to all who needed her aide, and her good deeds were known all throughout the kingdom. But although she was well loved and much admired, Michelle could not be totally happy.
For how could anyone be happy in the land of wishes and dreams without a love of their own?
And so Michelle began her quest to find that love...that wish...that dream.
She knew that her quest would not be easy, for naught which having is ever gained without struggle.
As her wise woman had said, it is the struggle that makes you stronger. The struggle that sets you free.
Michelle asked her wise woman what her future held, and the sage foretold: Much passion. Much doubt. And a love that would blaze brighter than the heavens.
And so Michelle then asked what she much do to find her heavenly gift, and the cryptic reply came.
"Find the man who shares you heart, But quickly turn away. Find the man who stirs your soul, and there you are destined to stay. For all men's hearts are much the same- flesh and blood they be. But the soul is the link of life to love, And that, my dear, is the key."
And so Michelle began her quest, taking aged books for wisdom and the strongest armor for battle. After many a days journey, she came to a small blacksmith's cottage. There Geoffrey worked on new wheels for a carriage. They were wrought in gold and encrusted in beautiful jewels.
"Good sir, that is beautiful work," granted Michelle.
"Yes" he replied. "And each strike of hammer to precious ore is a prayer to her."
"To her?" Michelle asked.
"To the queen of this land," said Geoffrey in worshiping tones. "When a great sickness washed this land our beautiful queen came to my side and nursed me to health. Ant yet, for all her gifts to others she was taken from this earth from the same sickness. But I knew the beauty of her life."
Geoffrey paused to show his tunic.
"And so in honor of her life I will always wear her name encircled by a heart...over mine."
Geoffrey noticed the fair maiden's tears.
"Why do you cry? Her life was beautiful in life and death."
The princess' eyes were full of much sorrow.
"Because your savior was my mother."
Geoffrey looked at the daughter of the woman who had surely saved his life.
"Then may your life be filled with with much love and happiness. For she would have wanted you to be happy...always."
Bidding goodbye to the man she now knew shared her heart, Michelle continued on her quest, determined not to fail.
But how the road now seemed longer, and the journey so much harder.
Where did her soul lie?
To continue on Michelle knew she would have to press forward through the evil land of Santonia, where wishes and dreams were belittled and destroyed.
Only darkness and greed lived here.
But Michelle's books did not hold enough wisdom, and her armor was not near strong enough.
Our princess of wishes and dreams was captured in that evil land.
Oh how Michelle did weep and cry, for now she would never find her love and soul. Never would she return to her land of light.
Michelle began to wither away in her darkened cell. She needed her people...need the sun...needed the love she so desperately sought.
This was how the dark prince of Santonia found our princess. And without thinking of his evil mother in her tower, or the different lives they had lead, or even pondering why he was having these thoughts at all, Prince Daniel knew one thing.
Here was his princess.
And so he secreted her a way to a priest, and took the despondent Michelle into his life.
Michelle had only gone with Daniel in hope of returning to the sun again, of returning to her homeland.
But in one instant hastened vows became a sacred exchange.
Brushing lips became a soul searching kiss.
Two souls careening through darkness and light, through trial and tribulation... into each others arms.
It was here that Michelle's quest would end, and a new journey of love and life would begin.
Now our prince and princess would not have a easy road ahead. But they did not expect it to be so. That was not how it was supposed to be.
But they would have each other, forever.
Michelle knew that she would be happy-always, just as her mother had dreamed.
Happy Always... ..and Ever More.
THE END