Is This Truly Just a Fairy Tale?

Once upon a time, as all fairy tales start… there was a Prince beloved by all the nobility of the land. They hailed him as a model noble, the one to lead the next generation of nobility to a new age of prosperity. In the royal court especially, he was the one who grabbed everyone’s attention. Handsome, intelligent, strong, there was not a positive word that couldn’t be heard when he was present, and there was not a noble around who didn’t want the Prince’s attention, who didn’t want to be in his inner circle. To this effect, the Prince received countless gifts and marriage offers from nobles both inland and foreign, hoping to gain even a little bit of the Prince’s favor.

The Prince, being the noblest of nobles, welcomed all of these gifts gladly, and formed beneficial relationships with every noble who approached him, creating a strong inner circle with himself, and his strongest supporter, the General, at the center. Yet, despite this disposition, none of the noble women offered to him could satisfy his taste. As one who seemingly had everything, what, or who, could possibly satisfy him? The Prince, despite being the center of high society, remained unwed before the public.

One day, while travelling through the countryside by carriage to a noble’s gala, he spotted a beautiful maiden working the fields. She was on the shorter side, with short blonde hair in a bob cut at the sides of her face. And her face… the Prince could have been convinced she was a lost angel, taken from her natural home among the gods. Beautiful blue eyes with no blemishes to be seen. He believed she was a diamond among the trash that surrounded her.

Not one to associate with commoners for any reason, the Prince believed this may be his only chance to speak to her, he wanted her for himself. He stopped his carriage immediately and traveled through the fields on horseback to reach her, he made sure it didn’t take long.

“Hail, milady.” He started.

“What? Who are you, and what are you doing in my family’s field!” Surprised by the Prince’s sudden appearance, the maiden immediately went on the defensive, brandishing her hoe as if it was a lance.

“Apologies, milady. It seems I’ve forgotten my manners. My name is [Redacted], prince of this very kingdom. I wear my family’s crest as proof of my lineage. May I ask for milady’s name?” Seeing how the maiden closed off immediately, the Prince made sure to use his most charming and courteous mannerisms. She couldn’t possibly refuse him after seeing that, he thought.

“Ah! Apologies, milord! I had no idea… My name is [Redacted], what may I do for you today?” the maiden said, lowering her head before the Prince as a sign of respect.

“[Redacted], what a beautiful name. My dear, [Redacted], I couldn’t help but see you through my carriage window, I believe you truly are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Would you grant me the honor of joining me to the royal court?”

The Prince knew no hesitation, he wanted this woman to be his wife as soon as possible, and believed there was no reason for her to refuse. What better fate is there for a lowly commoner than to join the royal family, especially as the wife of the next king and the most beloved Prince?

“I.. I’m not sure, milord. I don’t believe myself fit for the court. I’m not like all the noble ladies. I only know my life here with my friends and family.”

The Prince was surprised by the maiden’s answer but understood her worries. He was not one to give up, however, and pushed further. She would be his.

“Not to worry, milady. I’ll arrange a tutor to teach you the ways of a noblewoman. I’ll even visit you personally once a week so you can learn more about me. Once you feel you are prepared, then you can join me at the capital. Is this agreeable to you?”

The maiden pondered for a while before looking determined at the Prince. “May I ask you for one more thing, milord?” she asked.

“Anything, milady.”

“I only ask that you see my family taken care of in my absence. Without my aid, the years will be a lot harder on them and I worry for their safety.”

“Of course! How could I let a family that brought about such a beautiful woman into my world waste away? Worry not, I shall make sure they kept in good standing in your absence. I am good friends with the lord of this area, and I shall see to it that he takes care of them.”

With that, a deal was created between the two and the maiden’s training started and ended quicker than it began. The people called their love a whirlwind romance as the two were engaged within two full moons of their meeting.

After seeing the maiden, nobody questioned the Prince’s decision, even if she was a commoner. Besides, he told the nobles not to worry as he could just take as many concubines as he pleased. Isn't it normal for a king to have many concubines?

Truly, this seems like something out of a child’s story book, right? By chance meeting, a prince sweeps a common maiden off her feet to the royal court where they will eventually be wed. He saves her from the horrors of forever being stuck doing manual labor in the fields and she lives a life of luxury as a queen. The country then prospers under the Prince's rule and they live happily ever after, as is said at the end of all fairy tales.

However, this is no fairy tale, the universe rarely moves in such a way, and nor is this the full story. Truthfully, this isn’t even a quarter of what really happened...

(To Be Continued)