There once was a very brave king and a very brave queen. This king and queen were so chivalrous that their daughter, by nature, was born a very timid girl. However, the king and queen did not know this, and raised the princess in the bravest ways they knew.

But princess Fae did not become any braver through her years. She could not sword fight, was as timid as a mouse, and disliked all things courageous. And to the king and queen's greatest disappointment, her favorite pleasure was always strolling in gardens.

Desperate, the king summoned a so-called magical king from a distant land to help him.

When the magical king, whose name was Feeraknot, arrived at the castle, the king told him, The princess cannot sword fight, refuses to be told of dragons and enjoys looking at flimsy flowers all day!

King Feeraknot stroked his long silver beard and said, "I will come here and help her."

And so, king Feeraknot had his belongings moved into the castle as well as his sons, Prince Almenualle's.

On king Feeraknot's first day in the castle, he told his son to take the princess into the garden.
The prince walked down the paths in the rose gardens with the princess beside him. Every day the prince would meet her down at the garden gate and they would walk. And day after day, the princess became less afraid of the prince.

After nearly a month, the king found himself on the balcony looking at a most horrendous sight. He yelled, "KING FEERAKNOT!"

King Feeraknot came rushing. "Yes?" he said breathless.

I thought you were using magic to help my daughter. Now explain this! He pointed down at the garden where the princess and prince stood near the daisy bed.
King Feeraknot smiled as he said, "That is your daughter's magic, as you call it."
At this, the king became so angry that his hands which were holding onto the balcony wall dug a large chunk of stone out of the castle.

"I have given you my trust and home and what has come of it? You trick me into letting my princess skip through daffodils!" he raged.

"Actually, your highness, they are daisies." king Feeraknot managed to mumble.

The king turned away from the man and flew down the castle steps. When he reached the garden, he grabbed his daughter by the arm and dragged her inside.

The king took his daughter into the dungeon, slamming the tearful princess inside a gated cavern. He pulled his sword away from his hip and handed it to Fae through the bars. "Be brave, princess, or you will lose your life."

The king no longer believed in training or even magic to help his daughter...he now only thought that a threat could heal her. It was only too bad that the king did not realize his fault.

Something like a large black foot of smoke stomped down in front of her. It was a monster. The princess did not realize that she had been holding her breath for far too long and was going to fall down into a faint before anyone could save her. Just as her knees gave way and the creature dove for her, there was a shattering scream from beyond the bars. As the princess's world faded away into black, she thought she might have glimpsed the prince's blue eyes above her.

After that night in the dungeon, nothing in the castle was ever the same. Princess Fae refused to be alone. When she walked up to her room at night, at least seven maids had to walk with her. And when going outside, the princess insisted on having at least a dozen people nearby. Princess Fae hated to be alone.

This went on for many years, until finally it came time for the princess's coronation. The king took up the princess's new crown to lie on her head, but suddenly, standing before them was a hideous witch.

"Allo." said the witch. " I live en dese 'ere walls. I 'ave walked and lived in dese walls for wha' seems forever. I 'ave watched tha' young one 'ere grow to wha' she is. An' now, you see, my life can only be ended if a certain tree in the West Forest is stabbed through an' through. And this 'ere princess mus' be the only one able to do it." And with that the witch began to mumble odd things in a shrill voice.

The prince drew his sword.

"Ah," laughed the witch, "you nee' not try and protect her anymore. The curse's wors' is not on the girl, but on this land...for soon, the sun's light will stop shining on this land, a monster will rise out of the sea at attack the castle, and demons will taught you until the girl completes the quest.

"But please," said Fae, "if I truly must go, allow me a company so that I will not be alo-"

"Alone you mus' go! For I know you and your ways like de lines on de wood of 'ese walls. Your weakness is my strength, for if you do not go alone, if you do not succeed, I will continue to live and tormen' you forever."

And just as suddenly as the witch appeared, she was gone.

The princess screamed, for at that very moment all of the light around them was gone. The castle was now like a dark hole. Out the window, the princess saw the sea in an uproar with waves crashing onto the shore. A sea monster's head protruded from under the water's surface, extending its clawed legs towards the castle. It looked towards the window and screamed at Fae, baring its sword-like teeth.

"Alas! Leave us creatures of death! I will go!" the princess cried hysterically.

As she started to walk down the woody path, she stopped and called to the prince.

I wish I did not have to be alone. It is so dark now and I fear the sun will never shine again. she said to him.

"Do you not believe in the light though you cannot see it? Do not fear, for though you may leave me, I will never leave you."

I see your plans..." said the princess. "You are going to try and follow me without being caught! I will hold your promise to my heart dearly, for I see now you speak the truth."

"You will see soon of what truth I speak, my princess...but you will not see me."

"You must follow me in secret of course, trailing behind my footsteps in the path...Wait until the moon reaches into the sky, and then meet me beneath it. But now prince, give me words of courage for I am fearful.

"Princess, believe in the unseen. Keep my love and the hope that light will return in your heart."

Finally, in the black canvas sky, the moon rose...but the princess did not see her prince.

"Oh!" she sobbed. "He has left me! I am truly alone!"

Just as she spoke these words, a large hawk landed at her feet.

"Well," sighed the princess, "At least now I am not so alone."

And soon, the princess fell asleep.

When the princess awoke the next morning, the hawk was gone. "Oh, prince," the princess said
wiping her tears away, "Why have you forsaken me?"

She continued down the path. As she walked, it seemed as if there was a peculiar ringing in her ear. The noise grew and turned into a bittersweet tune-- as light and delicate as a hummingbird's wings beating. The music surrounded her, and she no longer felt alone.

"Allo, princess," The princess whipped around. She looked, but only saw fruit trees around her.

"O'er 'ere, love." sang the sweet voice. The princess looked and saw a tree with its trunk bark formed in a mouth, eyes and a nose.

"Come, girl. Are you alone?"

"Im not alone," started princess Fae, but she then realized that she was quite alone.

"Come stand by me, and then you will no longer be alone.?"

The princess did not want to be alone, so she did as the tree said.

"What's your name, dear? And who left you all alone in dis wood?"

"Fae is my name, kind tree.

Why are you alone? asked the tree.

"Well..." Fae murmured. "A man was supposed to follow me, and come find me last night...but he did not."

"He lef' you?" the tree cried.

The princess nodded sadly.

"Listen, you see 'em rocks at my roots?"

The princess looked beneath her feet. Indeed there were many colorful rocks. "Yes?"

"'Em rocks is magical. An' only I can use 'em. Now, you must reach down and pick up one of dem magical stones, for my branches canno' reach 'em. And then, I will cast the magic on that ol' prince of yours, and he will be given 'is punishment."

"But lovely tree, I do not wish to harm the prince."

"Oh, dear princess," laughed the tree, "he will not be harmed by any sor'. I will only cast a spell on 'im so that he may see wha' he has done...Wha' he has made you feel."

"Well, if no harm will be done..."

Fae reached down and picked up a sharply jagged blue stone that shimmered like water. The trees branches twitched in excitement, for she now nearly had her weapon. The old witch's life that was trapped in that tree felt another hundred years would be spent in those same roots, and nearly cackled at the thought. Just a few more moments, and the princess will be dead, along with her kingdom, she thought happily to herself.

"Come now, princess... He took your love and abus'd it-- You cannot believe that his love for you is still alive?"

The princess unfastened her grip on the stone and held it in one hand. She lifted her hand up to one of the tree's branches. But just as the trees twig-like fingers reached for the stone, Fae stabbed the rock into one of the trees shimmering fruits.

The tree screamed in pain and shook her branches. The princess took only a few steps back. The tree was quickly losing life.

"Ya foolish princess! You are all alone, unlov'd, and foolish!"

"Nay." said princess Fae. "You are the foolish one. Neither of us has ever been alone, for who is in your heart always walks beside you. My prince may have broken his promise, but he did not break away our hearts. I still believe in his love, though he is not beside me. And with his love beating in my heart, I am never truly alone. But you, Witch, you have nothing but evil pulsing in your heart, and so your only reward is death, but because I have love living in my heart, life is mine to keep."

Upon her return, the princess saw her castle gleaming in the sunlight, and the land restored and her prince was waiting for her at the end of the West Forest path.

"Prince," said the princess, "You did not come, and I was all alone."

"I tell you the truth, princess, I never left you. I was the hawk who comforted you. I was the song that filled you with joy. I was the strength in the stone that you killed the witch with.
Though you could not see me, I never left you."

"Oh, prince!" cried the princess, "And as well you are the love in my heart that will stay with me forever!"

"And so, you know I will never leave you-- because I love you." said the prince.

And in that moment, the princess had found her bravery, for she now knew that she would never ever be alone.