The Monstertale Princess

In an ivory white castle, in a room in the southeast tower a young princess named Nadia stood in front of a large mirror with elaborate gilded edges. Her raven black hair was pulled into a ponytail by a diamond studded platinum pin. Today she had decided to wear an exquisite purple-and-red dress that she had gotten as a present her last birthday from a relative she forgot the name of as soon as the gift had been taken from the box.

Her wonderful room was filled with beautiful and expensive trinkets from around the five kingdoms of Bareysia. Two of the most prized collectables in there had the ability to move and talk. Rare, even within the more magically inclined kingdoms. They were both real animals, one a squirrel, the other a rabbit.

The princess smiled at her own reflection. The radiance of her smile fooled most of the people that didn't know her into thinking she was just a “sweet little girl.” The steady sound of the squirrel uncasing a nut irritated Nadia to the point where she lost her smile completely. She grabbed the squirrel’s nut away from him and threw it out the window. When the animal then turned to a big pile of them, on the table he was situated on, the princess took them all and made them go the same way as the first one.

Her smile came back, and she turned back to her lovely reflection. “My mother says I'm the most beautiful princess in all the five Kingdoms.”

“Yeah. Sure. Whatever.” The squirrel tried to salvage some tiny fragments of nut from the table. The princess turned around slowly, glaring at him, her smile becoming a pout. The squirrel – Nadia had named him Vincent – looked up at the princess, hurriedly mustering the semblance of a smile. “I mean, of course you are the most beautiful. Your … your eyes are like …” The squirrel swallowed.

The rabbit took over from her gilded cage. “Like the finest Kuranian emeralds, my dear.”

Apparently satisfied with that, the princess turned back to the mirror. “Any prince would just have to love me, wouldn’t you say?” She gave the two animals a quick look.

“Yeah. Yes.” Vincent nodded frantically. “Can I have some more nuts now?”

“I don't believe there's any need for you start worrying about a prince just yet, my dear.”

The princess turned to the rabbit with wide eyes. “Of course there's need! I'm nearly fifteen! Why, Julianne is already married.”

The rabbit’s voice remained calm. “She's a year older than you.”

“So!?” Nadia tried calming herself down. She looked at her beautiful self in the mirror. “If Julianne has a prince, then why shouldn’t I? I need a prince. I need love. Now!” She stamped her foot down.

“What? You just think it's gonna come around if you snap your fingers?” Nadia fixed Vincent with a glare he knew well. “I mean, you should go ask your parents. I'm sure they will find you a real nice prince. And you will fall in love and live happily ever after. Can I have some nuts now?”

The princess took a deep breath and released it. “I already did. Daddy said I was too young. Mother said I should just be happy while I could still be a kid. But I'm not a kid!” She sat down on a red cushioned chair, made from the finest rosewood, and buried her face in her hands. “This is so unfair!” She looked at the squirrel and the rabbit. “Why can't a prince just come for me? Like in the tales?”

“Those are just stories, my dear. And they usually include monsters. You wouldn’t want to meet monsters, would you?”

“But Victoria, then what am I supposed to do? It's not like I can just …” Something caught the princess’s eye, outside her arched window. She stood up and opened the window.

“What is it? What is it? Let me see. Let me see.” The squirrel kept jumping up and down, but whatever it was it was out of his field of vision. “Is it nuts?”

Nadia stretched her hand and reached for something. When she pulled her hand back she was holding a bright red rose. She inspected it. “There are no thorns. How strange.” The princess put it up to her nose and breathed deep of the heavy sweet scent. But something else travelled along with the smell. A vision assaulted her senses. A vision of the loveliest prince. He told her – not with words, but with feelings – that he had always wanted to meet her, but only now finally decided to send the magic rose. If she would only be brave enough to venture into the forest, for his law clearly stated that he could not travel beyond the boundary of the trees.

When it was over a smile spread across her face. Not the kind she used to dazzle people or get what she wanted, but the genuine sort. “I knew it!” She turned to the rabbit. “I knew a prince would find me! Just like in the stories!”

“What are you talking about, my dear? Is there a prince outside the window?”

Vincent put up a contemplative look on his tiny face. “And how did that rose get all the way up here? We're in a tower, aren't we?”

“It grew on a vine.” The princess’s voice suggested that nothing was more natural.

“Roses don't grow on vines, dear.”

Nadia pouted. “Well, obviously it's a magic rose.”

“Uh oh. Magic. That never ends well,” said the squirrel.

The princess paid him no heed. A dreamy smile entered her face. “He sent me a message with it. He wants me to come to the forest, so he can meet me. Then he’ll take me to his castle and we’ll be married and in love.”

Vincent held up a tiny paw. “Back up a little bit. Did you just say the forest? With all the monsters? The one your father expressively forbid you to ever enter? That forest?”

Nadia was too high on the image of her prince to notice his tone. She nodded. “U-huh.”

“My dear,” Victoria kept a careful tone, “this is not how things work. Love does not come like this. At the very least you must prepare yourself for the possibility that this might be a trick.”

“Of course. Do you think I'm stupid or something?” The princess walked over to a shelf edged with pure gold. The shelf contained many wondrous things, a diamond hairbrush, a statue of a unicorn that had the power to attract the real thing, and many more, but what she picked was a pink wooden box with a string on it. She put the box around her neck.

The rabbit looked at the box and then up at the princess. “That's only supposed to be for emergencies, Nadia.”

The princess stared wistfully out the open window. “I know. This is an emergency … of love.”

Vincent furrowed his tiny brows. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

Nadia turned to him, a pout back on her lips. “Be nice! Or I won't let you come.”

“Fine. I never wanted to …”

“Vincent!” Victoria looked nervous, or as nervous as a rabbit can look. “We need to come. I have a bad feeling about this.”

The squirrel sighed. “Oh, fine. So … when are we going? I assume when the soldier escort gets here.”

“No! He said I should come alone, and that's what I'm going to do. Only I'm bringing you two, because you aren't really … people. You don't think he’ll be mad about that, do you?” The princess addressed the last part to the rabbit.

“Of course not, my dear.”

Nadia smiled. “Good. Then we’ll go.” She opened a door that led to the large room she called a closet. After careful consideration she picked out a snow-white cloak, and fastened it with silver pin in the shape of a sunflower. Then she put on boots laid with white fur. She came back into her bedroom, ushered Vincent in the cage with Victoria, and closed it, latching it shut in the process.

“This will go well.” Vincent glanced at Victoria. “Got any nuts in here?”

The princess – holding the cage – made her way through the castle corridors, taking care to shield the pink box with her cloak to anyone she met. When she was younger the corridors had felt confusing, but now she could navigate them with ease. And she knew exactly what to do. Although Nadia had never planned to go in to the forest, she was still aware of how it could be done.

The plan was simple. First she’d make her way into the garden. She often went there, so that wasn't a problem. Before she knew it, she had entered the labyrinth of hedges, flowerbeds and trees known as the castle garden. The sun had been blocked by a cloud, and the princess couldn't help but think how rude that was of it. She had been looking forward to the sun’s delightful rays on her perfect healthy complexion.

The second part of her plan was to avoid the pesky team of gardeners constantly at work. This cost a lot of hiding and sneaking around. Technically she was allowed to be in the garden, but only in the foremost part. So any further and she had to play a game of hide-and-sneak.

She crouched behind a pine-tree. Careful peeking revealed both a gardener, and her target. A bush near the edge of the high wall encompassing the entire garden hid a small crack in the bricks. Not big enough for the average adult. But a petite fifteen year old girl was another matter. Now if she could only get past the badly dressed gardener, who was hard at work trimming a hedge.

Waiting meant that perhaps the prince would think she stood him up. She couldn't risk that. She snuck in the grass in the safety of a row of bushes. She peaked beyond them, her heart beating fast in her chest. From there she could get behind a hedge. But only if she made it past an open spot. Currently the gardener faced away from it, but she had no idea how long that was going to last.

The princess decided to take the risk, running as lightly as she could across the green grass. It paid off. No one came running. Now she could go all the way to the wall, shielded by the hedge. Only a row of trees separated her from that crack. This time she snuck as quietly as she could in the dirt beneath the trees, using each large tree trunk as a cover. This way she made it all the way to the crack.

Nadia crawled through. She stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. She had made it. All that remained was entering the forest and finding her prince. A moment of doubt entered her mind as a gust of wind pulled at her cloak, at the same time as bending the trees before her. That moment was pulled asunder by her memory of the prince’s face. She determinedly set off towards the road. He had communicated in the vision that he’d meet her somewhere along it.

“Maybe it isn't all bad.” The squirrel regarded the forest. “Maybe there are nuts.”

“Maybe we should reconsider, princess,” Victoria said.

“No. We're going.” Nadia’s voice left no doubt as to the fact that was final. When they passed the tree line her large stride became a hesitant walk. She kept one hand constantly on the pink box, and her eyes peeled on the trees all around her. The wind made an ominous sound as it blew through the leaves above.

“Hey.” Vincent pointed. “There's something purple crawling up in that tree.” The princess immediately tore her eyes upwards. She checked the branches of the tree, searching for signs of what the squirrel had mentioned, but saw nothing. “It's coming down, look.” This time Nadia spotted it, just as it made a leap down to the road in front of her. The princess pointed the pink box at the creature, her finger fumbling for the pressure point. She found it and was about to press it when …

The purple creature held up a hand. “Wait. Princess, I mean you no harm.” Nadia hesitated. The creature had the appearance of a boy, and wore nothing except for a small torn loincloth. His short wild hair was a midnight blue color. Urgency entered his grey eyes. “This forest is dangerous. You shouldn’t be here.”

“What are you waiting for?” Vincent jumped up and down inside the cage. “Fry the sucker.”

“No,” came Victoria’s calm voice. “So far he has done nothing wrong. Princess, I urge you to keep a cool head. Think of what your parents would do.”

Nadia nodded. She glared at the purple boy. “Leave! I will spare you, but if you do not leave my sight at once you’ll be very sorry!”

The squirrel glanced at the rabbit. “Maybe you should have specified which parent.”

The purple boy stared at Nadia. “But princess, I'm only trying to help you.”

Keeping a steady resolve the princess said, “You'll help me by leaving.” For a moment the creature and the princess looked at each other. Nadia kept one hand on the pink box, and a finger on the trigger. The boy swallowed. Both turned when some leaves rustled to their left.

A rush of excitement made it's way to Nadia’s brain when she saw who it was. She saw the man as if in encased in a halo of light. Everything about him was beautiful and perfect. His blond hair that fell in the most magnificent way across his face. The eyes that were just the right shade of blue. His utterly white teeth as he smiled a dazzling smile to her. The way he looked in that blue cloak and chainmail, with a lion symbol stamped across his chest. He was her ideal prince, in every way.

Behind him followed three men carrying crossbows.

The prince approached Nadia, eyeing the purple boy. “Is that … monster, bothering you?” Without waiting for an answer he gave a nod to his men. A crossbow bolt thudded into the ground, but the boy was already gone, he had jumped up into a tree. Two more bolts landed in the tree trunk, but none of them hit the boy as he made his escape, jumping from tree to tree. When he had disappeared out of view the prince turned to Nadia, giving her another one of his dazzling smiles. “But let us not fret about the foul creatures that roam this forest, and instead rejoice in our meeting. I am Prince Darius Soonesh.” He bowed. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, most lovely Princess Nadia Covern.”

The princess curtsied. She rarely did so of her own free will, but now she felt compelled. “No, it is I who is blessed to meet a man like you.” She smiled in the most charming way she knew how.

“I am sorry to interrupt, but if you don't mind me terribly asking,” the rabbit fixed the prince with a stare, “what kingdom did you say you're from?”

“I didn't.” The prince kept smiling. “But it's name is Moreha. A small kingdom beyond the forest.”

“Ha!” The squirrel pointed an accusatory finger. “There's nothing beyond the forest!”

“I'm told you do not travel through it. Even the lumberjacks dare not enter far.” The prince approached the cage. “So tell me, little squirrel, how do you know?”

Vincent was taken a little aback at that. “I just … well … I … got any nuts?”

“Besides, it's not far.” Darius extended a gloved hand towards the princess. “Come with me princess, and I'll show you my kingdom.” Nadia smiled and gladly accepted his hand. Hand in hand they ventured off the road, and deeper into the forest. The three crossbow men – having reloaded their bows – followed.

As they walked the rabbit wouldn’t abandon her suspicions. “Tell me, Darius, what is your father's name?”

For the first time the prince’s face lost it's good-humored expression. “Veronas. But let's not talk about my father.” As quick as a snake pouncing his smile was back up. He turned to the princess. “Let's talk about you, princess.”

“Me?” She was her favorite subject. A constant stream of words poured out of her mouth while they walked. She had been talking for a while when she noticed something on a tree trunk. A strange symbol carved into it. “What's that?”

Darius directed the princess past the tree. “Nothing. Come on, we're almost there.” He led her to a strange tree. No other trees stood near it, almost as if they were afraid of it. It stood alone, leafless and looking lifeless, it's branches twisting and turning like the bony fingers of evil witches.

The princess regarded it and then she turned to the prince. “What's this?”

“My kingdom.” Darius touched the tree. From his touch a hole spread, eventually opening up into something resembling a doorway. Wooden steps led downward, into the darkness below. “My castle is a little … underground. But it's magnificent. Wait until you see.”

Vincent gripped the bars of the cage. “What? Can you believe this guy? It's obviously a trap.”

“Use the stone on him, Nadia,” the rabbit said. “Normally I would not advice you depleting the stone’s energy this way, but now I think you should. If the light spares him, then we’ll decide what to do.”

The princess nodded. She grabbed the pink box and pressed the button. The lid of the box sprung open, but the indigo stone within remained dark. She stared at it. “What? This isn't possible. I know it had power!”

“Sorry princess.” Darius grabbed the pink box, pulling it away from the princess, snapping the cord around her neck painfully. The lid closed as soon as pressure was released from the button. He threw the box to the ground. “I anticipated this little possibility, and drew a couple of magic symbols in nearby trees, creating a circle. And thereby rendering your little trinket useless.”

Nadia backed away slowly from the prince, her eyes wide. “Why are you … ?”

“Simple. I want you, princess, to be my wife. And believe me I am a prince, and I do have a castle. But perhaps I did disguise one thing.” He smiled. “My appearance.” And just like that the illusion was lifted. His perfect shape morphed into a monster. The prince was still shaped like a man. Except now he had hairless blue skin with a large yellow square around his left eye. His clothes were expensive blue and silver silk, but torn and tattered. The three crossbow men underwent similar transformations, becoming ugly red lizards in a rough human shape.

Darius held out a hand, and smirked. “What do you say princess?” His voice now had a deep bass. “Want to be my bride, so we can live happily ever after?”

“Never!” Nadia turned around and started running, but before she got more than a few steps the three red lizards stopped her. She tried running in another direction, but one of them moved in front of her. Eventually she had no more directions to go, except into the tree, and that was one direction she would not take.

“Well … It isn't like you have much choice anyway.” Darius wrestled the cage away from her and threw it to the ground, next to the pink box. “No pets allowed. Especially pesky talking ones. Shall we go, princess?” The three lizards took a hold of her arms. She fought them, she bit and scratched, but nothing worked. Despite her efforts they still pulled her closer to the opening in the tree.

Suddenly something purple appeared from within the forest. The purple boy jumped from a tree to the ground, but kept well away. “Use the box! I've removed enough symbols! It should work now!”

The princess still attempted to fight against the lizards in vain, only achieving delay in her departure. “I’d love to! But I'm a little busy!”

“I wasn't talking to you!”

Nadia looked puzzled. “Then who …” Her eyes went towards the box. Vincent had almost reached it. She realized he must have slipped out of the bars of the cage – after all it was built for rabbits, not squirrels. Darius also realized this, and headed for the box, but he was too late.

“Say nuts!” Vincent pushed the button on the pink box with a tiny paw. The lid sprung open and the crystal within poured violet light out of it. Prince Darius was immediately disintegrated. The three lizards first stared, then they released the princess and hurried down the steps into darkness. The tree closed behind them.

The princess ran to the box and picked it up, closing it in the process. She breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled to the squirrel. The genuine kind. “Thank you. When we get home you can get all the nuts you want.”

“Finally. Please, hurry!” Vincent rushed back into his cage. “I do not know if my stomach can take it for another minute, let alone all the way back.” Nadia giggled. This was not a usual thing for her. She picked up the cage. As she straightened up she noticed the purple boy making it's way cautiously towards them, using both hands and feet to walk.

He stopped some way from her, eyeing the pink box. The boy kept his head down. “I can escort you back to your castle, princess. If you so wish.”

Nadia nodded. “Yes. Please.” No more words were spoken between them for a while. The boy silently led the way through the woods. Soon they reached the edge of the tree line. The castle stood high up ahead. The princess could even make out the crack in the wall she’d have to use to get back in. She turned to the boy. For some reason she felt herself blushing. “I … want to say … thanks. For the …”

The boy cut her off with a sad smile. “No need to thank me princess. I am a monster after all, I do not deny that.”

“Then … can I ask, your name?”

“It's Gerton.”

“Mine is …”

“I know. I know who you are Nadia.” He displayed another one of his sad smiles. “Goodbye.” Gerton jumped up to a tree. He glanced down at her. “Don't come back to the forest. It's not safe.” The boy made his way up the tree. Nadia watched him until he disappeared from view. Then she turned to the castle. The big white castle.

“Whohoo! Nuts!”

“Carrots for me, if you can, my dear.”

“Of course.” The princess headed back towards the wall. She still wanted a prince, but now she knew she’d have to wait. Just like everybody else. So unfair, she thought. Then another thought made her smile.

She bet Julianne had never been attacked by a monster prince.

With that cheery though in her mind she crawled through the crack, and back into her normal life.