Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Corona, there lived a princess.
Her name was Erestor and she was beautiful, with inky black eyes and marble-pale skin and hair like midnight, and when she came of age there were hundreds of noblemen from around the world asking for her hand in marriage.
She turned all of them down, and would tell nobody why. Eventually she gained two titles: the Queen of Ice, for though she was kind and fair no man could touch her heart, and the Raven Princess, for she would wear only black. When asked about it — as she often was — Erestor replied, "I mourn a love that never was."
For in her dreams there walked a golden knight with the sigil of a yellow rose on blue; a love so perfect, it seemed, that Erestor did not believe it could ever be real.
And so she lived, though she rarely laughed and did not love.
oOoOoOo
Eventually her father the King decided that he was ready to step down; he'd had enough. He needed Erestor, his only daughter, to marry; he needed someone to whom he could pass down the throne.
A tournament was announced. The winner's prize was to be Princess Erestor's hand in marriage. She had no chance to object; all she could do was hope that the victor be someone she could come to care for. And hope she did.
None of the contestants truly caught her eye — except for one, a knight in golden armour, with the sigil of a yellow rose on a field of blue.
The knight from her dreams had entered the tournament.
For the first time in years, Erestor dared to uncover her heart, if only a little.
oOoOoOo
Erestor's golden knight fought gracefully and well, and rose swiftly through the ranks of her father's tournament. Never once was the metal visit lifted or the golden helm removed.
oOoOoOo
Today was the day of the final round, when the victor would be declared. Erestor watched with baited breath.
Her knight fought against a man from the Felds, in white armour and no helmet, and while the white knight fought with great skill, Erestor's champion had greater. When all was done it was the white knight who lay disarmed in the dust.
"Who are you?" the King demanded. "Remove your helm. I would see my new son properly."
The golden knight did so, and revealed —
— long braided hair that shone like the sun, eyes that glowed like the emeralds in Corona's crown, and features that were anything but a man's.
"No son have you gained this day, my lord," she said, falling to one knee. "I am Glorfindelle, daughter of the House of Gondolin."
The King was about to call everything off, revoke his offer, give his daughter to the white knight of the Felds, but Erestor herself stepped in then.
"You did not say that a woman could not enter, Father. And her victory was fair." She turned to Glorfindelle, face lit up with a smile that hadn't been seen in years. "Rise, my knight. If we are to love, I would not have you kneeling at my feet."
oOoOoOo
The wedding was a beautiful thing, attended by more people even than the tournament that led to it, and all agreed that the two were beautiful together.
Erestor never again wore mourning black, and the Two Queens of Corona laughed together and loved one another and lived happily ever after.