THE PRINCE AND THE MERMAID
Once upon a time in the mythical land of Baltan, there lived
a Prince. His name was Prince Adiere, the land was ruled by his parents, the King and Queen. Prince Adiere was next in line for the throne. One day the King had taken ill and was not expected to live much longer. Sadden by this, the Prince went into a state of depression, he and his father were very close
and it was hard for him to accept. The Queen who became concern for her son's health, decided to try and focus his attention on something she thought he would enjoy. She decided to come up with a concept to attract her son a wife. After all, he would one day be King and he needed to have a Queen by his side. After much deliberation, to ensure her son would choose the right woman. She put out a proclamation,
for all young maidens in the Kingdom, that her son, the Prince, was looking for a wife. Each young maiden was to bring to the Prince a object of special meaning to them, that they would be willing to give to the Prince as a token of their love. If the Prince chose the item, then the the owner of that item would be the wife of the Prince. The Queen informed her son of the plan, delighted with the Queen's plan the Prince quickly emerged from his depression. In a few days, all the young maidens of the land visited the castle bringing gifts, some brought beautiful jewlery, some brought family heirlooms, others brought rare coins. The Prince was amazed at the
all the beautiful maidens that were in his Kingdom. For weeks,
he looked over all the different gifts that were brought by
the maidens. He grew weary and disappointed that he could not find a gift to please him, as the last maiden left the castle,
the Prince thought to himself, he would never find his wife...he would never find a woman to sit beside him on the throne.
That evening, he sat in the garden watching the swans swim in unison in the pond, the night was black except for the light of the moon and the twinkle of the stars. He heard someone step up quietly behind him, turning quickly he notice a woman, except for her eyes, her face was covered and she wore a long silk garment that shimmered brightly under the moonlite. Her eyes were black as coal, and she spoke softly to him as she handed him a gold scepter, it had a silver band that intertwine around the sceptor starting at the bottom and ending at the top. At
the head of the scepter was the head of a dolphin with ruby eyes, she told him it belong to her father and when he died he gave it to her as a gift. She told him the scepter had mystical powers, but it could only be used by the person who possesses it.
She went on to say, the sceptor grants three wishes every year on the night of your choice. She warnd him to use the wishes wisely because once they are chosen the sceptor must be returned to her. She then turned and ran into the darkness of the forest, the Prince chased after her, calling her.....but she continued
to run, he chased her to the edge of the forest leading on to the beach, she had disappeared without a trace. All he noticed was footsteps in the sand leading to the the sea. Who was this strange woman he thought? Her voice like the Sirens who summons the ships with a beautiful love song. He was enamoured with just the hint of her eyes. Where did she go?
As he walked back to the castle, he played back in his mind,
what she said about the sceptor. The three wishes that he could choose. He thought about his father, and quickly he ran to
his father's bedroom, as he went in.... he walked to his mother, who kept a constant vigil at the King's bedside, only leaving to check on her son. Kneeling by his bed, the Prince looked at his father lying weak and feeble in the bed. He took his father's hand and held the sceptor over his father's body, he spoke his first wish. Suddenly, he felt a surge vibrate in the sceptor and it began to glow, a blue light enveloped his father's body and the aura widened until it filled the entire room. He looked down at this father and watched in amazement as the King's eyes opened and the color came back to his cheeks. His father sat up and looked at his son and wife, puzzled because he was completely healed. The Prince was ecstatic, as he explained to his parents
about the strange young woman who visited him earlier that night and gave him the scepter and how it would grant him three wishes.
The next morning, the Prince became obsessed with finding this mysterious woman. He called upon his Royal Foot Soldiers to search the kingdom, for the elusive woman. Weeks had passed and still he could not find no trace of her. He began to give up hope, later on that evening he went back into the garden and sat with the scepter in his hand, he had to see her again, he looked at the sceptor and he spoke the second wish. He stood up and looked around waiting for her to walk from the forest, unlike the first wish, there was no glow, no vibration. He waited patiently until midnight and still she did not appear. As he looked around once more he headed to the castle. As he laid on his bed, his body weary.......a cool wind blew the curtains apart revealing the figure of a woman. She step into the room and slowly walk towards him, he sat up in his bed, and like a gliding ghost she floated into his arms. This time she was without her garment that hid her face and contours of her body, she had a white chalfont gown that revealed the beauty of her copper complexion, her hair was long and black and flowed with the thickness of softened wool. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, she reached up and softly kissed his lips. They made love into the morning light, he learned her name was Cadeera......as mysterious as she was, the Prince fell madly in love with her and wanted to marry her, she was the one....he thought. But Cadeera, held a secret, she did not want the Prince to know, for she thought if he knew who she really was he would no longer want her. As the birds chirped a song to welcome the morning, Cadeera knew it was time for her to go.
The Prince begged her to stay, but she insisted.....she told him that she loved him and he would see her again soon. Cadeera started on her way through the forest as she did before, but this time unknown to her, the Prince followed. As she got to the edge of the forest, the Prince watched as she walk to the edge of the sea. What happened next, the Prince could not believe his eyes, she walked waist deep into the water and floated on her back, slowly her legs transformed into the tail of a fish. She dove down into the water and with a flip of her tail disappeared into the waves.
The prince looked in amazement, he had always heard of the legends of Mermen and Mermaids, but thought they were just a myth told to children as a bedtime story. How could he marry her now? He still loved her, but how could she be a part of his world or he be a part of hers. When the Prince returned to the castle, he informed the King and Queen he has
chosen a wife, but there would be some difficulty in his choice.
He told them she was a Mermaid, The King and Queen looked at their son with some concern for his sanity, but they trusted the Prince, they knew he had never lied to them and they could see their son loved this woman deeply. That night, Cadeera returned to the Prince again, after they made love. The Prince
told her the last time she was here, he had followed her and he knew who and what she was. Cadeera frightened he knew the truth, before the Prince could tell her he loved her and wanted to marry her, she jumped up and ran away. The Prince chased her, but before he could catch her, she transformed and leaped into the waves of the sea.
The Prince afraid he had lost her forever, was heartbroken.
Each day he went back to the beach and each night he went to the garden hoping that she would come to him, but she never did. Each day without Cadeera, he became weaker, he fell into a deep depression, and became very ill. The King and Queen tried everything to nurse the young Prince back to health, but it seems he had no will to live. Certain their son was dying, the King and Queen gathered at the Prince's bedside, and began to pray. They held the Prince's hand til late in the evening. At midnight the Prince's breathing began to get very shallow, The Queen began to cry. Suddenly a cool wind blew open the curtains and Cadeera appeared in the shadows, walking over to the bed, she kneeled down and took the Prince's hand and began to cry. The Prince slowly opened his eyes and called out her name, he looked at her and in a weakened voice, told her he loved her and wanted her to be his Queen. He reached for the septer next to his bed, but was too weak to hold it. Cadeera put it in his hand and held her hands over his, The Prince spoke his third wish, it was for Cadeera to be human. He reached for her and she kissed him and held him close, as a beautiful bright blue aura surrounded them and slowly engulfed the room. The King and Queen looked on with tears in their eyes, they knew their son would be alright.
The Prince recovered fully in a few days, and the King and Queen invited everyone in the kingdom to the wedding of the Prince and his new bride. It was the most beautiful wedding in all the Kingdom. The Prince and Princess Cadeera lived thier lives happily ever after.
THE END
Epiphany(C)2001
Once upon a time in the mythical land of Baltan, there lived
a Prince. His name was Prince Adiere, the land was ruled by his parents, the King and Queen. Prince Adiere was next in line for the throne. One day the King had taken ill and was not expected to live much longer. Sadden by this, the Prince went into a state of depression, he and his father were very close
and it was hard for him to accept. The Queen who became concern for her son's health, decided to try and focus his attention on something she thought he would enjoy. She decided to come up with a concept to attract her son a wife. After all, he would one day be King and he needed to have a Queen by his side. After much deliberation, to ensure her son would choose the right woman. She put out a proclamation,
for all young maidens in the Kingdom, that her son, the Prince, was looking for a wife. Each young maiden was to bring to the Prince a object of special meaning to them, that they would be willing to give to the Prince as a token of their love. If the Prince chose the item, then the the owner of that item would be the wife of the Prince. The Queen informed her son of the plan, delighted with the Queen's plan the Prince quickly emerged from his depression. In a few days, all the young maidens of the land visited the castle bringing gifts, some brought beautiful jewlery, some brought family heirlooms, others brought rare coins. The Prince was amazed at the
all the beautiful maidens that were in his Kingdom. For weeks,
he looked over all the different gifts that were brought by
the maidens. He grew weary and disappointed that he could not find a gift to please him, as the last maiden left the castle,
the Prince thought to himself, he would never find his wife...he would never find a woman to sit beside him on the throne.
That evening, he sat in the garden watching the swans swim in unison in the pond, the night was black except for the light of the moon and the twinkle of the stars. He heard someone step up quietly behind him, turning quickly he notice a woman, except for her eyes, her face was covered and she wore a long silk garment that shimmered brightly under the moonlite. Her eyes were black as coal, and she spoke softly to him as she handed him a gold scepter, it had a silver band that intertwine around the sceptor starting at the bottom and ending at the top. At
the head of the scepter was the head of a dolphin with ruby eyes, she told him it belong to her father and when he died he gave it to her as a gift. She told him the scepter had mystical powers, but it could only be used by the person who possesses it.
She went on to say, the sceptor grants three wishes every year on the night of your choice. She warnd him to use the wishes wisely because once they are chosen the sceptor must be returned to her. She then turned and ran into the darkness of the forest, the Prince chased after her, calling her.....but she continued
to run, he chased her to the edge of the forest leading on to the beach, she had disappeared without a trace. All he noticed was footsteps in the sand leading to the the sea. Who was this strange woman he thought? Her voice like the Sirens who summons the ships with a beautiful love song. He was enamoured with just the hint of her eyes. Where did she go?
As he walked back to the castle, he played back in his mind,
what she said about the sceptor. The three wishes that he could choose. He thought about his father, and quickly he ran to
his father's bedroom, as he went in.... he walked to his mother, who kept a constant vigil at the King's bedside, only leaving to check on her son. Kneeling by his bed, the Prince looked at his father lying weak and feeble in the bed. He took his father's hand and held the sceptor over his father's body, he spoke his first wish. Suddenly, he felt a surge vibrate in the sceptor and it began to glow, a blue light enveloped his father's body and the aura widened until it filled the entire room. He looked down at this father and watched in amazement as the King's eyes opened and the color came back to his cheeks. His father sat up and looked at his son and wife, puzzled because he was completely healed. The Prince was ecstatic, as he explained to his parents
about the strange young woman who visited him earlier that night and gave him the scepter and how it would grant him three wishes.
The next morning, the Prince became obsessed with finding this mysterious woman. He called upon his Royal Foot Soldiers to search the kingdom, for the elusive woman. Weeks had passed and still he could not find no trace of her. He began to give up hope, later on that evening he went back into the garden and sat with the scepter in his hand, he had to see her again, he looked at the sceptor and he spoke the second wish. He stood up and looked around waiting for her to walk from the forest, unlike the first wish, there was no glow, no vibration. He waited patiently until midnight and still she did not appear. As he looked around once more he headed to the castle. As he laid on his bed, his body weary.......a cool wind blew the curtains apart revealing the figure of a woman. She step into the room and slowly walk towards him, he sat up in his bed, and like a gliding ghost she floated into his arms. This time she was without her garment that hid her face and contours of her body, she had a white chalfont gown that revealed the beauty of her copper complexion, her hair was long and black and flowed with the thickness of softened wool. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, she reached up and softly kissed his lips. They made love into the morning light, he learned her name was Cadeera......as mysterious as she was, the Prince fell madly in love with her and wanted to marry her, she was the one....he thought. But Cadeera, held a secret, she did not want the Prince to know, for she thought if he knew who she really was he would no longer want her. As the birds chirped a song to welcome the morning, Cadeera knew it was time for her to go.
The Prince begged her to stay, but she insisted.....she told him that she loved him and he would see her again soon. Cadeera started on her way through the forest as she did before, but this time unknown to her, the Prince followed. As she got to the edge of the forest, the Prince watched as she walk to the edge of the sea. What happened next, the Prince could not believe his eyes, she walked waist deep into the water and floated on her back, slowly her legs transformed into the tail of a fish. She dove down into the water and with a flip of her tail disappeared into the waves.
The prince looked in amazement, he had always heard of the legends of Mermen and Mermaids, but thought they were just a myth told to children as a bedtime story. How could he marry her now? He still loved her, but how could she be a part of his world or he be a part of hers. When the Prince returned to the castle, he informed the King and Queen he has
chosen a wife, but there would be some difficulty in his choice.
He told them she was a Mermaid, The King and Queen looked at their son with some concern for his sanity, but they trusted the Prince, they knew he had never lied to them and they could see their son loved this woman deeply. That night, Cadeera returned to the Prince again, after they made love. The Prince
told her the last time she was here, he had followed her and he knew who and what she was. Cadeera frightened he knew the truth, before the Prince could tell her he loved her and wanted to marry her, she jumped up and ran away. The Prince chased her, but before he could catch her, she transformed and leaped into the waves of the sea.
The Prince afraid he had lost her forever, was heartbroken.
Each day he went back to the beach and each night he went to the garden hoping that she would come to him, but she never did. Each day without Cadeera, he became weaker, he fell into a deep depression, and became very ill. The King and Queen tried everything to nurse the young Prince back to health, but it seems he had no will to live. Certain their son was dying, the King and Queen gathered at the Prince's bedside, and began to pray. They held the Prince's hand til late in the evening. At midnight the Prince's breathing began to get very shallow, The Queen began to cry. Suddenly a cool wind blew open the curtains and Cadeera appeared in the shadows, walking over to the bed, she kneeled down and took the Prince's hand and began to cry. The Prince slowly opened his eyes and called out her name, he looked at her and in a weakened voice, told her he loved her and wanted her to be his Queen. He reached for the septer next to his bed, but was too weak to hold it. Cadeera put it in his hand and held her hands over his, The Prince spoke his third wish, it was for Cadeera to be human. He reached for her and she kissed him and held him close, as a beautiful bright blue aura surrounded them and slowly engulfed the room. The King and Queen looked on with tears in their eyes, they knew their son would be alright.
The Prince recovered fully in a few days, and the King and Queen invited everyone in the kingdom to the wedding of the Prince and his new bride. It was the most beautiful wedding in all the Kingdom. The Prince and Princess Cadeera lived thier lives happily ever after.
THE END
Epiphany(C)2001
