“A Fairytale”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Prompt: Write a story titled “A Fairytale”.

I used to believe that life was a fairytale. Sure, there would be a villain and a big fight and a near-death experience, but everything would work out in the end.

Unfortunately, I now know the truth. Life isn’t a fairytale at all. Sure, there’s a villain and a big fight and a near-death experience, but the happy ending? That part’s a joke.

My rude awakening occurred years ago. I’d been in love with a noble prince, and he’d loved me back.

Of course, as the prince, he’d gone through struggles of his own. His mother, the queen, had been assassinated. He’d been young, but still old enough to remember her dying breath. He’d held her hand as the poison took hold of her heart. After the queen’s death, the king had sank into a deep depression. The prince couldn’t shake him out of it, and proceeded to rule the kingdom almost entirely on his own.

When I met him, he’d just returned from a battle with a neighbouring land. He’d sought some peace and quiet, where he’d stumbled across my cottage. I’d been living there with my three little sisters for some time–our own parents had long since passed as well.

We quickly fell in love. I didn’t know that he was the prince until he proposed to me.

The night before our wedding, I lost him. Only after did I learn that throughout the years, he’d been hunting for his mother’s assassin. Word of his quest had spread and he’d fallen prey to the very same villain.

I’d held him as he died, just as he’d held his mother. And now, I travel the world, searching for the one who’d killed my beloved. This cycle of death can’t be allowed to continue. I’m going to find the one who killed my dear prince and kill them; I won’t let them hurt our baby daughter.

Final Comments: Ugh the wording at the end of this one was really gross… I will say, though, that even though I had a hard time starting this one, by the end I had a (somewhat) formed story in my mind!

Overall Rating: 😮