Princess Rose

Excerpt from my Young Adult book, Princess Rose by Mary Aris ©2009 Lulu.com ISBN: 978-1-4452-0167-2 

 

Princess Rose

 

T

here was a time, long ago, when England was quite young,  in the Kingdom of Carlisle, lived an old king and his queen.  They were a very happy couple indeed and their subjects loved them.  The queen was a lovely woman, but was getting on in years and the king worried if there was ever going to be an heir to the royal throne.  The couple did their best to conceal their sadness.  The palace was filled with music and there were weekly tournaments with prizes and monthly banquets with minstrels, musicians, and pantomimes. The castle was filled with music, laughter and merry-making.

 

       On the Eve of the queen’s fortieth birthday a Royal Gala Ball was organized by the king. The Great Hall with its majestic dance floor and elegant fireplace was scrubbed clean and decorated with gold curtains and festive tapestry.  The tables were set with fine gold and silver china and silver cutlery. Bouquets of roses and daisies served as centerpieces and the crystal chandelier in the midst of the hall was bedecked with garlands of greenery and golden bows.  Servants hurried to and fro with platters of roast beef, roasted suckling pigs with red shiny apples in their mouths; Platters of pheasants accompanied by dishes of gravy and relishes, and all sorts of seafood platters imaginable.  The Great Hall was set to honour the queen on this her fortieth birthday.  On the morning of her birthday the queen’s ladies- in -waiting drew her bath with rose petals, champagne and white orchid- scented bubble bath.

 

 The musicians arrived at half-past five O’clock and assembled their instruments on the far right side of the Great Hall.  The guests arrived by half Six and the king and queen made their entrance as the danced their first dance of the Evening as the Trumpeters announced their arrival. The servants ,with their trays of oysters and caviar and champagne, went around the Great Hall serving the hungry guests who were congregating in groups around the reception hall, while the dance floor shimmered with the soft shadows of the chandelier as the king and queen danced and twirled accompanied by other couples of the gentry. The Palace was alive with music and dancing.  After dinner the queen was presented with a large birthday cake adorned with roses and carnations.  On top of the great cake was a fountain with champagne cascading down in rivulets collected by the base of the fountain.  ‘Happy Birthday, Your Highness!’ all her subjects wished her.  The queen looked down upon her cake, but a tear formed in her eye in spite of this happy moment, and she could not contain herself.

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        On this special Evening the queen couldn't contain her sadness any longer, so in the midst of her Majesty's birthday banquet, she ran from her throne and went to the moonlit garden. There she kneeled by the Gilded Pond and wept bitterly.  Her tears made small ripples on the pond's golden surface. 'Alas, I cannot take this emptiness any longer!' she wailed, 'I long, to hold a child in my arms! The king simply hates me because I can't produce an heir to the throne!'  She was so anguished that she felt the tears burning her cheeks. As she wiped her eyes she was surrounded by seven beams of light and felt invisible fingers touch her shoulders.  She composed herself and pulled her cape tightly over her shoulders.

 

 

 

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he moonbeams descended upon the unhappy queen and seven tiny beings of light materialized before her eyes, bathing her in a pool of light. They were dressed in white robes covered by golden capes and wore miniature crystal tiaras on their tiny heads.  Their faces were angelic and delicate in features. They twirled about the Gilded Pond in a sort of mystical ballet, furling their tiny wings like regal insects.  The queen was frightened and surprised.  Politely, the tiny creatures introduced themselves.  The eldest one was called Sophia. She bowed before the queen in a timid bow. ‘I’m Sophia, daughter of the Moon and these are my sisters, Serafina, Luciana, Lamina, Nocturia, Maria, and Belle’.   The queen smiled at the seven sisters in awe.  ‘We often visit the Gilded Pond on many a night. We light it with our wands to make it glow.  That is why it is called the Gilded Pond. We won’t hurt you!’They were indeed fairies who beheld upon the queen's agony. In detail the queen told the Moonbeam Fairies of her sorrow. The sisters listened to the queen with great sympathy.   As the queen's tears hit the pond's surface, the good Moonbeam Fairies caught them and carried them back to heaven.

 

 

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ing Anthony of Carlisle went in search of his Queen.  He found her by the Gilded Pond. ‘Dearest, what is the matter?  Aren’t you happy and delighted?  Tonight is your birthday! I’ve organized this Gala Ball in your honour!’ said the king.    Queen Anne dried her tears and taking her husband’s hand in hers said ‘Yes, My Darling, I am indeed surprised. I’m just a bit emotional, taken aback by this wonderful reception given in my honour.’  Lifting her to her feet the king kissed her hand and said, ‘Come, my wife, our guests are waiting.’  The king and his queen went back inside the castle. The Gala Ball continued and the king and queen danced way into the Evening till the lights of dawn shone brightly in the sky and the lark announced the arrival of the new day.  The Gala Ball had come to an end and the king and his queen bid their entire guests farewell.  As the last guest set foot upon the castle mound to find their way home, the king and his queen retrieved into their bedroom for a very long well-earned rest.

 

 

A

 great commotion stirred in the Celestial Palace.  The sound of trumpets erupted, silencing the commotion.  Regally Queen Celeste, queen of the Moon made her grand entrance in the Celestial Palace. She was a graceful ruler, genteel, regal with a warm disposition. She rarely got angry or lost her temper.  She wore a gold crown upon her head and wore a gown of spun gold.  Her complexion was fair with delicate features and had the rosiest of cheeks.  A great hush descended upon the Celestial Palace as the Moonbeam Fairies and all within the realm bowed before the throne. Queen Celeste sat upon her golden throne and with a smile greeted each of the Moonbeam Fairies.  Kneeling in reverence each Fairy paid their respects to Queen Celeste, and then in unison proceeded to bring Queen Anne’s tears before the celestial throne.

 

       Diligently Queen Celeste listened to the sad tale the Moonbeam Fairies told her.  'Poor Queen Anne!' exclaimed Queen Celeste. 'It is really very sad when all these years a woman cannot hold a baby in her bosom'.  With her celestial wand furled in mid air, Queen Celeste gathered the Moonbeam Fairies together.  'Come, my dears, let us grant the poor queen's wishes.  By next spring she shall have a child!'

 

            Quickly the good fairies began their task.  Gathering stardust, together, they began to weave.  They made a honey-coloured tapestry that would become the princess's hair.  'The child shall have golden brown hair!' cried one of the fairies. Two fairies arrived, carrying baskets of roses.  'The princess shall have the rosiest cheeks in the entire kingdom!' exclaimed the second fairy.  'And she shall be blessed with the reddest lips in Christendom!' came the voice of a third fairy carrying in bushels of red strawberries.  Still another fairy, back from a visit from the sun, came to Fairy Cottage loaded with rays of sunshine. 'Awe...the child shall have a sunny disposition as soon as the stork delivers her to the queen!' A dozen nightingales and bluebirds flew through the window all at once to behold what the fairies were up to.  'I have an idea!' said one fairy.  'The princess shall be blessed with a beautiful voice and will delight everyone with her songs!' And so they set about their creation, adding one element and material to make this creation a sheer success.  They worked day and night diligently without rest. The Fairy Cottage was aglow with wild incantations and magical formulas.

 

 From the window the Rainbow smiled down upon the Moonbeam Fairies' endeavor.  He could not help but fall in love with the little princess.  He wanted to present her with a gift.  All at once the fairies pondered and thought about what the Rainbow could bestow upon the princess.  Suddenly a midst of inspiration came to them. Then suddenly, in unison, they chanted:

 

 

 

‘Blue, red, yellow, indigo…

By the powers of heaven, good and pure,

Let your magical colours glow.

Red, yellow, indigo, blue…

Sing your magical incantation. 

As the sky is azure, this spell I know,

Without any hesitation

By the powers of heaven, shall come true           

As certain as night follows day, this is so…

The princess will be blessed with a colourful imagination!’

 

 

 

I

n no time a magical pail drew near the window and captured the rainbow's wonderful colours.  'The princess shall possess a great colourful imagination and she will entertain all with her marvelous tales.'  The rainbow smiled and was glad he was of service.

 

   The Fairy Cottage was hot with all the magic and the good fairies were sweating but there was a deadline to meet and they had to produce a princess for the Queen.  To their delight, a summer breeze came rushing in the cottage.  The wind, pausing to admire the Moonbeam Fairies’ creation, marveled at the beauty of the child. 'Can I offer her the gift of dance?' he asked.  'Certainly!' cried the Moonbeam Fairies in unison and suddenly the wind surrounded the sleeping child and looking lovingly at her, blew a wondrous wind upon her feet that spiraled up her body.

 

           

Delighted, Queen Celeste came to Fairy Cottage and placed her Great Seal of Approval and blessing upon the little princess.  'What a beautiful little baby!' she exclaimed.  'Queen Anne will be delighted as well as her husband! No more will her heart be full of sadness and despair, for this little princess will fill all with beauty and joy for years to come!'  The little princess was placed on a special bassinette in the shape of a rosebud and placed within the beak of a white stork.  The fairies kissed the sleeping child and waved their wands in unison.  A tiny tiara was placed on the little princess.  Queen Celeste placed a kiss upon the child and bade the stork farewell.

 

 

Thus on a lovely spring morning, the king and queen were delighted upon the birth of their first child. They had a beautiful daughter with golden brown hair which as the sun’s rays reflected on it, it lit up the entire Kingdom.  She was such a beautiful child that all the birds and all the flowers gathered around her to gaze at her.  The king loved his little daughter very much, although he preferred a son to succeed him. Yet he was highly captivated by the beauty of the little princess whose charm enchanted his heart forever.

 

 The kingdom was thrilled by the news of the birth of the princess who filled her proud parents with joy.  All throughout the Kingdom there were parades, balls and tournaments to welcome the little princess into the Kingdom.

 

 

A great joy came over Queen Anne.  Finally her dream came true.  She held her daughter in her bosom and nursed her. 

The queen’s voice filled the nursery and the palace with happiness as she sang lullabies to lull her daughter to sleep.

 The little princess slept peacefully throughout the night and smiled at everyone that came near her.  The king, too, was overjoyed.  He would always be found hunched over the little princess admiring her.

 

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Reviews

[Madi]

This is quite a lovely story that I happened to find while I was searching for something different to read :) I love this!