• -Persistence-

    Once upon a time in a kingdom that was far off the coast of the Midnight Shore lived a prince. The prince was very handsome, he had jet black hair, it came down to his mid neck and hung in his face so no one could ever tell his emotions. He had big round, soft brown eyes that would hold you in a trance, like you could stare into them for days. His lips were full and soft, the girls he had kissed before had said that they were wonderful and made them want to kiss him for days. He stood tall, about 5’9”, towering above most of the squealing girls that crowded him.
    As the years rolled on by he would sit in his tower, looking over the cities bright lights, wondering what would become of the kingdom, and himself, if he did not find a bride to be wed. He had tried to get a bride to propose to but all those times, even when he had thought they were the ones had always turned they’re backs on him in the end.
    It was almost his 18th birthday, the time of his coronation and he needed to find a bride or he would never be king. So, he walked through the town, masked by dark clothing and a black ranger’s hat, looking for the special someone. She had struck him with love at the first sight of her. Her short brown hair wavered in the wind as she stood next to one of the many food venders on the dirt road market.
    He went over to her and kneeled down on one knee, removing the scarf that hid most of his face. The girl’s eyes widened.
    “Madam, you are one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever laid my eyes on. Please, come with me to my castle and marry me, be my queen, rule by my side and I will give you my world, my love, and my kingdom.” He said to her in his deep, velvet, alluring voice.
    She made a smile, the dimples on her cheeks showing with her happiness. “Of course.” She replied in a song-full voice.
    He swept her away to the castle and made arrangement for them to married right away. Whether it is true love, or just the greediness of wanting to be king that compelled him to do this, no one know, not even the Prince is sure of it, but he did, and the marriage was going to be soon.
    Months had passed and the Prince’s bride seemed happier than ever, but the Prince was still his same old self, just wanting to be king, and nothing else. As night crept over, the Prince snuck out, away from the talking of his kingdom, and away from the love of his wife.
    He came to a grove where a pool of water resided, the pool seemed to glow and sparkle. He started toward the pool then notice that it was raining, he hid under the cover of the trees, hoping for the storm to pass soon. Then something caught his eye.
    A girl sat near the pool, cupping her hands and drinking the magical looking water. She had long wavy blond hair that rested on her shoulders, pale blue motionless eyes, and pale white skin. She wore a baby blue dress that hung close to her body, in tied around the back of her neck and let a bow hang on her mid back.
    The Princes heart started to flutter in his chest.
    What is this feeling that I have? It’s so strange. He thought to himself as he stared at her from behind one of the thick trees.
    He went out into the middle of the grove, letting the rain hit his head, and soaking him. He walked over to her, as she plainly ignored him, and stayed where she was.
    “Hello, miss?” He said in a shaky voice as he tried not to let the funny feeling in his stomach effect him.
    “Yes?” She asked in a light, carefree voice, and looked up in his direction.
    “What is your name?” He asked.
    “Why do you ask?”
    “I just want to know.”
    “What is your name?”
    “I can’t tell you that.”
    “Then I can’t tell you mine.”
    “Well what can I call you then?”
    “What can I call you?”
    “You can call me ‘Prince’.”
    She smirked for a second then replied. “Then you can call me ‘girl’.”
    The Prince chewed on his lip for a long moment then looked at the girl.
    “Ok then, ‘girl’, where do you reside?”
    “Where do you?” She asked.
    “In a palace.”
    “In a village.”
    “Where is this village? Where can I find you?”
    “Here, you can find me here.”
    “When?” He asked almost urgently.
    “Every night, around this time.” She smiled.
    She started to walk away, into the opposite side of the grove when the Prince grabbed her long, fragile looking hand with his large leather gloved one.
    “I know we’ve just met, and that there’s no way anyone, even myself would believe this but, I think I’m falling in love with you.” He said as he looked at her face, which was looking at the ground.
    “I’m sure your just confused, I’m not pretty enough for a Prince to love, of course how would I know? I don’t see me for what everyone else does; actually I can’t see me at all.” She said with a sigh and pulled away from his grasp.
    All the Prince could do was watch her walked away, hoping that maybe he could see her again.

    The next night the Prince went back to the grove, this time with flowers. There she sat, right by the water, looking off into the nothingness of the forest around her.
    The next night when they met, he walked over to her and handed her flowers, she smiled as she grabbed them.
    “You didn’t have to.” She said as she smelled and admire the bouquet of black roses.
    “Yes I did, I told you, I’m falling for you, and I’ve realized that I’m not confused, this is real.” He said as he sat beside her.
    “Hmmmm.” She said she smelled the roses.
    After a while, they would have to part and only hope to see each other the next day. During the day, the Prince would sit by his tower window and stare off into the distance, wondering what the girl was doing, and missing her more than he had ever missed anything in his life. His wife would try to interact with him, but he would always push her way, and ignore her. She began to suspect that there was someone else, every time she had this thought her heart broke into more and more pieces.

    As the sun started to fall behind the surrounding mountains, the Prince started to get ready for his leave. His wife walked over to him, quiet and strained. She hugged the Prince from behind and whispered to him:
    “I love you, a lot.”
    He didn’t reply and just headed into the other room to get some other supplies. He left his wife standing there, alone, with nothing left to live for.

    As it grew pitch black outside, the Prince went out to the grove, this time, with nervousness in his heart that would not relent. As he got to the grove, there the girl sat, in the same blue dress that he had first seen her in. She smiled as she dipped her feet in the water, splashing it around.
    “Please, come, sit beside me.” She smiled, staring over in his direction. “I need to tell you something, well not just something but a few things.”
    “I need to tell you something too.” He said as he stared at her, trying not to hyperventilate.
    “Well you go first.” She said as she patted the ground next to her.
    He sat by her, his feet crossed, trying not to make a fool of himself.
    “Well, you know, how I told you…that I was falling for you?” He asked looking over at her face, which was staring down at the water.
    “Mhm.” She replied.
    “Well, I think, I’m not falling, anymore. I-I think I fell, about 6 hours ago.”
    Her eyes widened in surprise.
    “No ones, ever, said that before.” She said; the look of surprise still on her face.
    “Well there’s a first time for everything huh?” He smiled and shifted a little closer to her. “Now what was it you wanted to tell me?”
    “Well…” She said and sighed a long sigh. “I think, I may be in love with you too.”
    “Why? I mean I’m not someone you should love. I’m not good enough for you.”
    “You’re a wonderful person, your sweet, your awesome, you listen, and I feel safe around you.” She smiled. “And you look past my differences, and imperfectness.”
    “You are perfect! How are you not?”
    “Did you realize that I’m blind?”
    “No, wait you are? Then how could you love me, you can’t see me.”
    “Do I really need to see your face to realize that I love you? That’s why you are always so unhappy, because you rely on your looks to get girls, you are a prince aren’t you?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well most people only want you for your face, body and money. I want you for you. And apparently I’m the only one who can see through all of it.”
    The Prince grabbed a small box from his pocket and gave it to the girl. She held it in her hand, and opened it. She touched the cold silver circle, then the large stone at the top.
    She gasped.
    “Will you marry me?” He asked.
    She chewed on her lip for a moment then smiled.
    “Yes.” She whispered as she kissed him lightly on the lips.
    He stood up and helped her up to her feet. He embraced her in a hug.

    What ever happened to his first wife, no one really knows, but she will always stand in the shadows, admiring the one person who she thought she could love. And for the Prince and the girl they got happily married and rule the kingdom together.

    The Prince smiled at his new wife and whispered to her:
    “So, will you tell me your name now?”
    “Will you tell me yours?”
    “No.” He smiled.
    “Then I guess you’ll never know mine, its all in trust, whether you know my name or not, you still trust me like I trust you.”
    The Prince kissed her lightly on the lips and she kissed back.


    The End