God's Blessing

     This is actually something I wrote for an assignment in college. The original assignment had a word limit, but I decided to take a look back at it and edit it without the constraint of the limit. It is a fantasy, and I was trying to create a more folktale-ish vibe with it, and I think I did it well enough.

God's Blessing

It started on that faithful night, the King and Queen of Vachellia celebrated their son’s naming day. They invited every person in their kingdom to attend the celebration of their only child.

The Queen had prepared everything, from decorations to meals, even the attire their servants wore. Acacia bloomed lovely in every vase on every table; lanterns were scattered and hung under the castle’s ceiling. It was as warm as the sun itself. The air was full of cheers and laughter when jesters and dance troupes enlivened the castle’s hall with their jokes and stage performances. Bards sang a tale specially written for the Prince; the words were full of hopes and wishes.

As quiet as an owl stalking a mouse, a beautiful lady suddenly appeared in front of the Prince’s crib out of thin air. Her skin was pale and shining, her face looked gentle with a gleam of stiffness, and her wings were hard to miss. Her eyes were as cold as the stiff expression plastered on her face.

“This child is cursed. His blood was defiled by the same curse that terrorized this land in ancient times. The blood of his ancestor—The Tyrant—runs in his veins, inherits the same love. His very soul will soon crave blood. In the name of justice and people’s safety, the Gods bestow their blessing upon him. He shall not, by any means, embrace the seed of love, for it will bring nothing but doom. Any mortal who leads him astray from the Gods’ will shall be punished.”

With the final word uttered, she disappeared.

The merry night turned into a dreadful one within a single beat. There was nothing to hear but the Queen’s mourn for her son’s fate. Her cries and screams were sung through the night across the boundless sky. Even winds and stars whispered the sad tale of the gentle, loving mother. As her voice faded, her tears dried, her feelings numbed, so did her soul be taken by death.

Words traveled across the land, spreading the terror of the cursed Prince. Still grieving for the Queen’s death, the King introduced new laws. No one shall enter the castle, for the Prince shall not leave it. No word shall he hear but by the King’s will.

The baby Prince could only laugh in his crib when all smiles turned into hatred.

The Prince grew up with no one else beside him but his nurse, Elize. Despite his exile into the comfort of his own castle, the Prince grew up as cheerful as other children. A loner he was not, and he constantly tried to get the others’ attention. Yet, loneliness plagued his mind as he imagined, jealous of, a boy who was close to his father from the tale he had heard from his nanny. No matter how nice he acted, how careful he spoke, what he got was only a hateful stare and fear from the others, except Elize. She loved him, and he loved her too.

Until one day, he accidentally broke Elize’s bracelet, the one that the Queen gave her. That day, Elize let out her rage. She mocked, cursed, and shouted at him. Her mouth let out all the words that had been stuck in her heart, and each of them pierced the Prince’s heart. Deep enough to make him shed no tears when Elize was replaced the next day.

The day had passed, but the hatred in him had not. It festered in his heart as he started to listen to no one and obey no rule. Once, though it was forbidden, he snuck out to the village. Everyone was aghast, seeing him unsuspected. No kindness he received—only hateful or frightened gazes, sometimes both.

Everyone left the Prince alone, but a boy, wearing a brown cloth and bare feet, smiled at him. The boy talked to him nicely, but the Prince answered harshly and even ignored him. Although the Prince’s response wasn’t a nice one, the boy still talked eagerly. Despite his words and how he acted, he felt butterflies dancing in his stomach from the very moment the boy spoke. From that day onwards, cloaked by darkness, he sneaked and met the boy at a forest nearby.

 When he grew into a young man, the King engaged him with a Princess from a neighboring Kingdom. Aconite was the Kingdom’s name, with wheat encircled by a snake as their sigil. He wasn’t so thrilled with the idea, though the Princess was a real beauty. He refused and rebelled, but the King’s order was a must.

Enraged by his father’s decision, he fled to the forest. Near a big lake, the reflection of the moon beautifully mirrored on it, he spent the night with his best friend’s jokes, tales, and songs. Hearing the boy sing was enough for him to forget everything. For them, the night was theirs.

Knowing the Prince had broken the rule, the King was furious. He tightened the guard so the Prince could not escape anymore. They fought,  but it did nothing but enraged the King even more.

He was caged in his room for days until finally he found a way out. He rushed to the same place, and the same lake; the same man was sitting in a nearby tree holding a harp, the Prince had given him, breathless.

He ran back to his father’s throne as he felt anger burn within him. All eyes stared at him as he entered the hall. He shouted at the King, inciting a huge fight between them, and not even the guards dared to enter the room. A lifetime worth of grudge burst out from his mouth as he broke everything around him.

The King finally stood still as his son went on a rampage in their throne room.

 The horrors ended when the Prince fainted, and when he woke up, the curse had devoured his father.

During his period of mourning, the Princess visited him.

“People who love you are dead, my Prince. But that doesn’t mean you’re alone and vulnerable. You still have me, and I’ll accompany you to the very end of your life, and together, we shall rule the land.”

            Soon, a wedding bell rang, and the Prince lived happily ever after with her.