Once long ago, in a small but rather peaceful kingdom there lived a king.
This king was gentle, kind and very beloved by his own people.
He was known for his always warm and smiling face, his eyes that would glitter with amusement and his rumbling laughter that could fill out the entire dinning hall.
Indeed he was the kind of man whom would always light up any conversation and make any party seem pleasant and happy. He loved life, and he loved his kingdom. But most of all he loved his only daughter.
Lilliana was the daughter of this king and the princess of the land, her mother had tragically passed away so that made her the sole heir to the throne.
Lilliana wasn't to worried about that though, as far as she was concerned her father was still in his prime and had many years to still rule over the kingdom.
If there was just one person more beloved by the people than the king, it was Lilliana herself. Not only was she as beautiful as the rising morning sun. But her kindness didn't seem to know limits.
Gladly Lilliana would visit farmers and offer the castles assistance to those in need. People would always be taken aback by her sheer beauty. Her long golden hair that would fall down her back like a waterfall of gold.
Her skin pale and flawless, her eyes blue as the sky itself. Her figure small and fine. And then there was the way Lilliana would always laugh and smile, just like her father.
It was clear for all to see that Lilliana had inherited the kings good mood and love of life.
How ever, as things would have it, things did not keep on going well. Suddenly one day, the king was stroke by a terrible illness.
It bound him to his bed and he was unable to get out, slowly day for day he became skinnier and skinnier as he seemed to waste away in front of Lillianas eyes.
"Father dearest!" Lilliana begged as tears ran down her face. "It is not your time yet, it cannot be!"
"Oh, my dearest daughter." Theking breathed as he turned to her, his now gaunt face facing her direction and his eyes sunken in clearly had trouble focusing on her. "Forgive me, for leaving you so soon." he said in a weak voice, clearly he had to fight for each and every word.
"Father no!" Lilliana cried as she took his hand. "It is much to soon for you to die! You are still young!" she said. "This people still needs you!"
"Lilliana." The king breathed. "You must face reality. Soon I will be gone." he said. "It is as it is, know this though, my dear daughter. I will always love you." he said. "You've made my life so much more than I could have ever dreamed."
"Father." Lilliana swallowed and then the king laid back, falling into a deep sleep.
Crying Lilliana ran down the stairs towards the court yard of the palace, tears streamed down her eyes as she could not stop crying. "Father dearest! You can't die! I wont let you die!" she cried loudly.
"Wont let him die you say?" a croaked voice sounded beside Lilliana.
Lilliana gasped as she turned around. "Who's there?" she asked and then her eyes widened.
For right next to her stood an old woman. The woman looked like she could be a hundred years old maybe even more. Her skin looked like wax and stretched over her sharp cheekbones and cheek, her nose was long and crooked and on her forehead was a big wart. Everything about this woman looked unpleasant and made Lilliana skin crawl. Yet the thing that stood the most out about her were her eyes, that was the colour of amber and almost looked like dying embers from a burned out fireplace.
Still Lilliana was a princess and she needed to have good manners! So she straightened up and wiped her eyes clean before she curtsied for he old woman. "Please forgive me kind lady. I did not see you there." she said.
At that the old woman laughed out loud, her laughter was cackling and high pitched, almost screeching. "Such manners, my little dove." she said.
"Of course, I have no reason to be rude." Lilliana replied. "Is there something I can help you with kind lady? Do you need food or perhaps some warmth inside?" she asked.
The old woman grinned grimly showcasing her mouth that had several teethes missing. "Perhaps the question isn't what you can do for me, but what I can do for you." she said.
That made Lilliana blink. "I'm sorry?" she asked.
"I know how to safe your fathers life!" The old woman said and Lillianas eyes widened.
"Truly?" Lilliana asked. "Oh please tell me how!" she asked. "I'll pay you anything you want!"
"Anything?" The old woman asked in a dark smile. "I hope so, the cure for your fathers ailment will not be cheap!" she stated. "If you wish to buy, meet me at my house! It is at the top of that mountain!" she pointed to the north, and at a big gray mountain. "If you wish to safe your father you must make haste, he will only have a week more if he doesn't receive help."
Wide-eyed Lilliana looked up the mountain. "Why up there?" she asked. "When you are right-" Lilliana had turned her head to look at the old woman, only to realize the old woman was gone. "Kind woman?" she asked confused. "Mam?" But she was gone, nowhere to be seen.
Wondering Lilliana had to wonder if the old woman had just been a dream, or a mad illusion in her desperation to safe her father.
But then finally she came to the conclusion that if there was the slightest chance that it had been for real, that the old woman had been real and had a cure. Lilliana had to find her!
So Lilliana packed up! She took the most precious jewels that she owned and all of her own savings, she took her favorite silver brush and even the golden mirror which her mother had given to her.
Lilliana was willing to pay anything if it meant her father would live! So packed with the heavy bagpack, Lilliana made her way up the mountain.
It was not an easy climb though, soon Lilliana's back would start to ache and her legs would start to shake.
Her shoes were soon destroyed and she had to walk barefooted on the harsh rocks. But she would not turn back and she would not stop.
Slowly Lilliana made her way upwards, the higher shame came though the colder it became. Soon she was freezing, shaking with cold. Her poor fingers going numb and the icy wind felt like daggers against her legs while her bare feet had started to bleed.
Still, Lilliana would not give up. She would continue and she did.
She could barely even feel her own body, black spots were playing in front of her eyes but finally she reached a small hut standing inside of a little cave where there was shelter from the bitter wind.
The house looked old and rigged, the wood it was made off were dark and in some places covered with weeds, the only plants persistent enough to grow up here in the mountains. Still Lilliana made her way to the door, and even though she was freezing, even though she was nearly passing out, she didn't forget her manners and knocked on the door.
"Hallo." Lilliana called. "Kind woman, is this where I was supposed to go?" she asked. There was no answer. "Please, is anyone there?" she asked. But still there was no answer.
At last Lilliana decided to push open the door and was now faced with a big messy room, the walls were covered with bookshelves that contained books but also jars with the most peculiar items. Dead lizards, floating eyeballs and other things of its like. There was a fireplace, and over the fireplace hang a cauldron which contained a green bubbling mass.
Slowly Lilliana walked inside and closed the door behind herself then turned back towards the room. "Erhm, excuse me." she said. "I didn't mean to intrude. I was looking for an old woman."
"Who are you calling old!?" A voice suddenly snapped and Lilliana stiffened, then she turned and saw the old woman in question sitting in a rocking chair looking sourly at her, at ones Lilliana was taken back by her glowing amber eyes, but quickly tried to find her composure again.
"Oh forgive me! That was very rude of me!" Lilliana said as she bowed for the woman.
The old woman rolled her eyes. "So you made it all the way up here after-all." she said. "Good for you."
Lilliana swallowed. "Yes mam, it must have been a hard travel for you as well."
"Eh." The old woman shrugged. "Sure, my bones are always creaking and my back always aching. But it doesn't matter where I am, it'll still do it."
Lilliana bit her lip. "Mam, I don't wish to be rude." she said. "But you said you could help me. You know how to help my father." she said. "You also said he didn't have much time, please. How do I help my father?" she asked.
The old woman looked at her and then frowned, her amber eyes glowing with a warning light. "Are you willing to pay?" she asked.
"I brought the most valuable things I own!" Lilliana said taking off her bag pack. "This ring is worth an entire house, with this you can move away from the mountain and to somewhere more comfortable. You can have it." she said holding forward a glistening jewel ring.
The old woman looked at the ring then snorted. "I like living here thank you very much."
"Oh, well. I have a purse here full of gold coins." Lilliana said. "You could turn this house into a palace if you wanted, you can have that with the ring."
"What on earth would I need a palace for?" The old woman asked.
"How about this? There is only hair brush!" Lilliana said pulling up her beautiful favourite silver brush, shining and glistening as if it had its own life, ones again though the old woman rolled her eyes and declined.
Lilliana kept pulling all the items out, one after another, all the jewels, all the coins, precious stones and at last, even her beloved golden mirror.
But still the old woman refused.
"I don't need trinkets like that." The old woman said. "The thing that can cure your father is this flower!" she informed as she held out a hand and floating above it was a golden flower. "This flower is incredible rare, it will only bloom ones every year. But then it'll cure any illness. All you have to do is to boil its leafs in water and serve it as a tea to your father, he will be cured."
Wide-eyed Lilliana looked at the flower. "What do you need for that flower?" she asked.
"What are you prepared to give?" The old woman asked.
"Anything that I own! Please I beg of you!" Lilliana said as she fell to her knees and folded her hands as a tear fell from her sky blue eye.
"No need to be so dramatic dear." The old woman smirked. "Considering the rarity of this flower, my price really isn't that much." she said.
"What is it?" Lilliana asked.
"Something most people take for granted anyway, if you live well you wont even miss it." The old woman said.
"Is that so?" Lilliana asked. "Then, what is this thing I have that you want?" she asked.
"What I want." The old woman said. "Is your beauty."
That made Lilliana halt. "My… beauty?" she asked.
"Yes indeed." The old woman nodded. "You don't even know it, but you are the most beautiful princess whom currently lives." she said. "All other princess's and maidens on this side of the ocean is no match for you. Such beauty would truly be worth my time."
Lilliana blinked. "If that is what you need in exchange for that flower. Fine." she said with a bowed head.
The old woman smiled, ones again showcasing her missing teethes. "Now, the rules of magic demands that i'll inform you of all the details of our deals before it is officially made." she said. "What you are going to do, is to sign a sort of contract with me. You give me your beauty, and I will give you my flower." she said and Lilliana looked up. "Of course, giving up your beauty means your appearance will change, with no beauty you will become hideous, to ugly to look at." she said. "If you were to be seen in court you would bring nothing but shame to the castle, people will move away from you and be disgusted by you, no one would want to be in the same room as you." she said.
Lilliana swallowed. "Isn't there something else you want?" she asked.
"Getting cold feet now are we?" The old woman asked.
"No." Lilliana shook her head. "If that is what it takes. I just." she looked down.
"Of course with a magic contract, there must always be a way to break it, stupid rule." The old woman rolled her eyes. "The way to break it will be this!" she said holding up a hand. "If one day you'll find someone whom will love you as what you have become, but loving you will not be enough, this person must not be ashamed of you, he must showcase you as his bride with no hesitation and declare his love for all to plainly see. If that happens, you will have earned your beauty back." The old woman said. "Don't worry though, you'll be far to hideous for that to ever happen." she said.
Lilliana swallowed then closed her eyes. "Very well." she said. "Where is the contract?" she asked.
"Right in front of you my dear." The old woman smiled and Lilliana blinked as in front of her floated a yellow parchment in a ink bottle. Wide-eyed Lilliana read over the parchment, it contained the exact same conditions as the old woman had just said.
"Hurry up wont you?" The old woman asked annoyed. "Or do you want your father to die?" she asked.
Lilliana swallowed and shook her head, then she reached for the pen, she hesitated but only for a moment and then finally wrote her name. No sooner had Lilliana written her name before a sharp pain shot through her body. "URGH!" she hissed as she bowed together. "What, QUACK!" she suddenly quacked smacking her hands over her mouth, then she realized, her fingers were changing, becoming short and thick while brown wards spread all over them then she shouted again as her back seemed to widen and her dress became much to restrictive. "Argh URGHH!" she screamed and in front of her a woman laughed.
Wide-eyed Lilliana looked up to see the wold woman, it was like she was becoming taler and her skin smooth. Her gray hair became thicker and then took on a black color, even her teethes seemed to be replaced and she laughed as her amber eyes shone with their fiery magic light.
"Thank you my dear, you earned your flower." The woman said and Lilliana screamed as she held her head, then everything became black as she lost concious to the pain.
Slowly, Lilliana regained conscious, first she realized she was cold, she was outside. Groggily Lilliana looked up and then saw the promised flower laying right in front of her. Gasping Lilliana reached for it and picked it up, only for her eyes to widen by the sight of her own hands. Her hands were small, brown, chubby and covered in wards, between her fingers were a thin layer of webbing.
Looking to her side Lilliana realized all the items she had brought to the mountain was with her, the bag with all the gold and jewels as well as her mothers mirror. Quickly Lilliana grabbed the mirror and looked upon her own reflection.
She nearly dropped the mirror in shock, because the face that looked back at her was not a face she recognized, it was broad and amphibian like with wards across the forehead and head, they probably went down her neck as well. Her eyes were much to far apart and she even looked slightly cross-eyed. What she saw did not look human at all, more like it looked like a giant oversized brown toad.
She was horrific indeed, it would bring much shame to any royal court to have her around.
Still, Lilliana had no time for that, she had to bring the flower to her father.
When Lilliana had finally made it back to the palace it was night time, that suited Lilliana fine because that meant no one would have to see.
In the cover of the dark, she made her way to her fathers sick bed.
Just like last time, he was feverish and he had wasted away even more.
Quickly Lilliana put over water at the small fireplace and then poured the boiled water into a cup together with leafs from the flower to make tea.
"Urgh.." It sounded from the kings bed. "Who goes there?" he asked.
"Father dearest, it is me. Your daughter." Lilliana replied.
"Lilliana?" The king replied. "I see, i'm glad you're here." he said. "Though, it's so dark. I can't see you." he said.
"Do not worry about that, I have something for you." Lilliana said as she moved to his bed with the teacup.
"What is it my lovely daughter?" The king asked.
"This tea, I made it just for you. It should help you regain strenght, please drink it." Lilliana said.
"ah my daughter." The king replied. "You must help me, I can't even lift my own arm."
"I see. I will help you then." Lilliana said and put the cup to the kings lip, then helped him to drink, she didn't stop before he had drunk all of it, first then she removed the cup.
"Ah, that tea sure tasted like heaven." The king said in a vague smile. "Why, I feel stronger already. Though also awfully tired." he yawned.
Lilliana smiled lightly then closed her eyes. "Then you must rest father." she said. "Please forgive me, when you wake up. I will be gone."
"Lilliana?" The king asked in a drowsy groggy voice. "What are you saying?"
Lilliana sniffed. "I must go." she said. "If I stay i'll bring shame to you and to this very kingdom. Please know though, father dearest. I will always love you." she said.
"I… I don't understand." The king said. "Lilliana, my dear daughter. What are you saying?" he asked as he tried to reach for her but with such a weak hand. "Lilliana." he called.
And Lilliana sniffed as she stepped back, tears rolling from her face. "I'm sorry father dear. Goodbye!" she said and turned around and ran. Ran away while dark still hid her ugly toad like appearance, ran as far away from the castle village as she could, ran until the sun started to rise, first then did she fall down on her knees exhausted beyond all reason.
There where she had stopped, she laid down on the soft grass and finally allowed sleep to take her in, all the while a single tear fell from her eye.