Author's Note: I wrote this for an assignment in the tenth grade. Thought I post it here. Everything belongs to me.

A long time ago in a land far, far away there lived a King and his beautiful Queen in Emraldsey. The queen gave birth to a baby girl with much fanfare from the people. They called the baby, Ariana.

The king decided to throw a party and to invite all the nobles in the land. Everyone came to see the future queen and give her gifts.

Now, everyone was invited except the witch Malagaina. Angry, she crashed the party.

"Who dares not to invite me?" she screamed. No one moved. Queen Diana carefully picked Ariana up to protect her from Malagaina.

"For you failure to invite me, your daughter will suffer. She will be cursed to be the ugliest girl in all the land. Only true love will break the spell." Then she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Years went by, but no one would even look at the princess. The curse was working. Every Prince that came would turn away from her in fear.

The witch watched this from her cottage in the Enchanted woods with a potion that let her see anything she wanted. She laughed at how well her curse was working.

"No matter how hard you try Ariana, you will never break the curse," she said as she looked into her cauldron with the potion in it.

The problem with Ariana not having a husband is that the King was old and sick. Ariana was his only heir and she would need a husband to rule and produce an heir of her own.

One day, the black Knight was invited to the castle for a banquet celebrating his good deeds and bravery. When he saw the Princess instead of turning away, he bowed to he kissed her hand.

"You are looking lovely tonight," he told her. Ariana blushed at the comment. No knight or prince had ever said that about her.

The next morning Ariana's hair was long, shiny, and curly instead of its usual short, dull, and straight form. Ariana and her ladies and waiting could not believe it.

They tried many stylish styles that Ariana was not able to do before. Then she put on her most beautiful gown and went to the stables to get Majesty, her horse, for her daily ride through the countryside.

"Good morning your highness," the stable boy said as he bowed, "You are looking quite well this morning.

"Thank you Tomas," she told him in return. Tomas always looked at her kindly. He never seemed to notice that she was ugly.

"Where are you going today?" he asked.

"Nowhere, I am hoping to find the Black Knight."

"Oh," was all he could say as he watched her gallop away.

Ariana searched for the Black Knight, but know one had seen him. She finally spotted him overlooking the town. The two began to talk and made plans to meet again there everyday.

Everyday they did meet, and everyday Ariana became more beautiful. Her skin glowed, her eyes sparkled, her lips and cheeks became rosy, and her voice became the most melodious in all of Emraldsey.

The Black Knight and Ariana decided to get married, after all they were in love. The curse seemed to be broken. Everyone know thought she was the most beautiful in all the land.

At the ceremony, everything was perfect. They were just about to be married when Malagaina arrived.

"Stop!" she screamed, "You think you have broken my curse?"

"Well, yes I do," Ariana replied.

"Look under your Knight's helmet," Malagaina instructed. Ariana carefully removed the Black Knight's helmet. It was Tomas the stable boy. Everyone gasped.

"You see, you true love is nothing but a peasant," Malagaina said.

"Does it matter what I am if I love you," he asked Ariana.

"No, because I love you too."

At that instant Malagaina dropped her staff and it shattered on the floor. She screamed and disappeared in a flash of light leaving nothing but her cloak.

With Malagaina gone the ceremony continued in peace. Everyone was happy that the curse was finally over. Ariana and Tomas lived Happily Ever After.