The Roses
Once upon a time there was a kingdom known as Windsway. In this kingdom, there lived a very handsome prince named Ryan. He had beautiful blonde hair, and was tall and slim. He was extremely popular with all the girls in the kingdom. But Ryan's parents were always worried that the girls in the kingdom only liked him, for his fortune as a prince. So they had a condition, for when he was to marry. (That I shall not say just yet)
To help him find a girl, the King and Queen held a ball. Many upon many beautiful girls showed up to the gathering.
"The people of my Kingdom." The king announced. "My son Ryan, is looking for a women to take as his wife."
More than half of the girls stood up to the prince. To every one, he said that they must show him their inner beauty. They will hold a normal ball, dance, eat, and he will try to decide who is fit for him. Now listen, the Prince is not stuck up, though he might seem. But he knows something that we do not know. (I can not say, yet again.)
The ball progressed, and girl after girl, came to talk with the prince. Each one, batted their eye lashed, tried to get his attention, and talked conceitedly. This disappointed the prince, none that he could see, had inner beauty. They were all stuck up, just as people would be in the presents of a prince.
A knock at the door broke him from the crowed. As he opened the door, he silently gasped. A girl, stood outside the door. She looked awfully plainly dressed. Just in a knee-long blue dress. Brown hair, down.
"Hello. I'm sorry, but this is where the ball is, no?" She had a slight French accent.
"Yes."
She shook her head. "I am sorry I am late. Is the ball, still on?"
The prince smiled. "Yes, please come in."
"My name is, Melody. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, I am Ryan."
"I see." She smiled. "I heard the prince was suppose to be hear. Did you?"
The prince was reluctant, but said, "I am the prince." He expected her to beg his pardon, and bow. Just as everyone does, trying to empress him. But she did not.
"Oh. Nice to meet you, Prince Ryan."
He watched as she led herself into the ball room. He was dazed. No one has ever acted so, normal to him. He quickly walked back to her.
"Would you like to dance?"
"Yes, thank-you."
As all the girls coveted them, Melody and Ryan danced. When the song ended, all the girls encircled him.
"Oh prince!" One called out.
"Come over here!" Called another.
He told the girls to be at rest, for it was time for a gift. All the girls, circled him as he brought out the gift He had many bundles of roses, and he gave one to each girl. Beautiful, red roses, one after another. But when it came to Melody, he gave her, a different rose. This rose, had the color of dried blood. It was shorter than the rest, and the petals looked a little withered.
"That rose, will tell you itself, if you are fit for me. If the rose is to die, you have no inner beauty, and cannot be my wife. The last rose alive is the one."
Melody looked at her rose. It seemed as if it was already half way dead. It did not feel moist, and the petals, ruff.
"Do, I have no inner beauty?" She asked the flower.
The ball, continued. And rose, after rose, they slowly died. The girls wept, as they left the castle. Melody, walked into the castle gardens, sill at awe that her flower still lived.
In the castle, girl after girl, after girl, wept and left. Until, there was no one left. Ryan walked into his gardens, to find Melody studying the flower. He could here her whispering.
"How? How?"
"Because it is fake." The Prince declared.
"Fake? But why?"
"Because of you. You, where the only girl, with true inner beauty. And there was no way to stop the flowers from dieing, unless I gave you a fake one."
Melody took the flower, and held it to her chest. "Thank-you, so very much."
"I love you, Melody."
Now you must understand, this was once upon a time, when love could be found in one day. At one sight. So if you would, believe that you are with them, once upon a time.