Queen Helene Marie held her newborn child.
"Little Mariette, you are such a little beauty," said Helene Marie.
The baby, Mariette, giggled in response.
A servant entered the throne room.
"The fairies are her, Your Majesty," said the servant.
Helene Marie looked up from her baby.
"Send them in," said Helene Marie.
Helene Marie had two sons, Charles and Henry. When they were born, the queen sent for fairies to predict the fate of the children. And the birth of the princess would be no different.
The fairy's entered the room.
The queen took the fairies to the drawing room and served them tea. They talked for a few hours and soon the fairies thought it was time for them to go.
"Wait," said Helene Marie. "You forgot to tell me what shall become of Princess Mariette."
The chief fairy cleared her throat.
"Madame, the Princess Mariette might cause the Prince's Henry and Charles to die," she said. "We are sorry not to have more cheerful news."
The fairy's excused themselves leaving the queen with a sad face.
Her husband, King Louis, entered.
"My dear Helene Marie, what is the matter?" Louis asked.
"My quilt fell in the fire," Helene Marie lied.
"Is that all?" Louis laughed.
He quickly got her more quilts, more quilts than she would ever need in her life.
But still, Helene Marie was sad.
Again, Louis asked, "My dear Helene Marie, what is the matter?" Louis asked.
"My green satin slipper fell in the river," said Helene Marie.
"Is that all?" Louis laughed again.
He gathered all of the shoemakers in the kingdom and they had made a combined total of ten thousand green satin slippers.
But still, Helene Marie was sad.
"My dear Helene Marie, what is the matter?" Louis asked.
"While I was eating, I swallowed my wedding ring," said Helene Marie.
The king knew this was a lie.
"That is not true," said Louis. He pulled something out of his pocket. "I have your ring right here. Now tell me what is the matter."
"The fairies predicted that our little Mariette will cause the deaths of Henry and Charles," said Helene Marie, now beginning to cry. "Whatever shall we do?"
Louis was now as sad as Helene Marie.
"I see no other option but to kill Mariette," said Louis regretfully.
"NO!" Helene Marie cried. She fell on her knees and graphed Louis hand. "No, dearest Louis. Please do not kill my little girl! I'd rather die than let you do that!"
"I see no other solution," said Louis.
At that moment, Helene Marie was struck with an idea. She gave her husband a small smile and said, "I've heard of a hermit who lives in the woods. He can help us. He can give us a solution!"
After a moment, Louis nodded.
"Very well," said Louis.
The next morning, Helene Marie, along with two maids, ventured into the woods. They arrived at the hermits house and Helene Marie told the hermit about what the fairies said.
"Build a tower," said the hermit. "And never let her out."
Helene Marie went back to the castle to tell the king and he had a tower built. When it was finished, he locked Mariette inside. He also had a nurse with her in case she needed to be fed.
16 years later…
The door to the tower opened.
Mariette turned away from the window and saw her mother, father, and brothers. They were there for their daily visit.
"Papa!" Mariette squealed, running into her father's arms and kissing his cheek.
Over the years, Louis came to regret the fact that he wanted to kill her. She was the kindest and most beautiful young woman who anyone has ever laid eyes upon. She had long curly dark brown locks, big, brown almond-shaped brown eyes, red lips, milky white skin, and rosy cheeks.
"Will you not embrace us, little sister?" Mariette's brother Charles asked.
Louis released Mariette and she went to her brother and kissed his cheek. She then turned to her other brother, Henry and did the same. When she was done, she turned back to her mother and father.
"Maman, Papa, may I leave the tower today?" she asked hopefully.
"Not today," they said. It was the same answer they gave everyday.
Mariette frowned and hung her head.
Charles and Henry, who both hated seeing their little sister upset, stepped in.
"Mother, Father, perhaps it would be best for Mariette to leave the tower," said Charles.
"What harm can come to her?" Henry asked.
"It's not harm coming to her we're worried about," Louis muttered.
Helene Marie elbowed him in the stomach.
"It's safer for everyone if she is in the tower," said Helene Marie.
"Is there something wrong with me?" Mariette said starting to cry. "Is that why I'm up here. Are you ashamed to call me your child?"
Mariette ran to the bed and fell upon it, weeping.
Helene Marie went to her daughter, kneeling beside her bed.
"My sweet child, we are not ashamed of you," said Helene Marie. "Quite the opposite. We are very proud to call you our daughter."
"Then act like it," said Mariette. "Let me down from this tower. Let me go into town and meet people."
"Sweetheart," Helene Marie began, "even if we let you out you would not be allowed into town."
"And why not?" Mariette asked.
"You are a princess," said Louis, walking over to his daughter's side. "Princesses do not go into town."
"Who made that rule?" Mariette asked.
"It's tradition, my sweet," said Helene Marie.
"Well, it's a stupid tradition," said Mariette.
Helene Marie and Louis stepped aside so that Henry and Charles could take their places and comfort Mariette.
"Sweet sister, please do not weep," said Henry.
"You know how sad it makes us," said Charles.
Mariette picked her head up and wiped her eyes.
"I'm not crying anymore," said Mariette. "Are you happy again?"
Henry and Charles smiled.
"Are you happy?" Charles asked.
"Yes," said Mariette smiling.
"Then so are we," said Charles.