The Sealed Princess

Chapter One-Not Just a Pretty Face

Her Wish

A beautiful princess that only exists in legends

Sleeps there awaiting

The man that makes her feel alive

The floor two hundred twenty- five

In number three

She is sealed inside

Until he grants her wish...

Twenty- one year old Cody slammed the book closed. He had only recently moved to Forget- Me- Not Valley, and was farming and working to rescue the Harvest Sprites and Harvest Goddess, who had strangely disappeared recently. Now, he thought he had his answer. He went up to the Inn counter, where Ruby, the manager, was standing. Cody knew the book was in the lounge for a reason, he knew it wasn't a library, but Cody just had to ask her if he could just borrow it for a little while. Suddenly, she spoke:

"Do you need something, Cody?" Ruby said kindly.

"Um, yes ma'am. Do you- um, can I please borrow this book for a little while?" Cody asked sheepishly. She looked thoughtful.

"Where did you get it, the lounge?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"May I see it?"

"Of course, ma'am!" And Cody quickly handed it over for her to examine. She looked at it for a moment and then chuckled.

"Oh, this old thing? Our customers never read it, I don't know why I still keep it in the lounge. Sure! You can even keep it!" Ruby laughed. Of course Cody was a little surprised, but, very pleased. He took the book from her and trotted out the door, saying thank- you's all the way.

As Cody walked down the road, he thought about the book's poem- Her Wish. The princess must be the goddess, and sealed inside is where she must be hidden, trapped. Floor two hundred twenty- five, that must be where the chamber is. And number three... Suddenly, it hit him. That must mean mine number three! He had never been to the 225th floor, who knew what could be down there! But before rushing off to the mine, he stopped by the Blue Bar first. Inside, he met Griffin and Muffy, his girlfriend. Muffy looked upset. When she saw him, she ran into her room and shut the door. Griffin looked uncomfortable at this but offered Cody a drink. Cody said no thank- you, and followed Muffy into her room. She was sitting on her bed with her knees up to her chest, and her arms wrapped around them. She was in tears. Cody sat down next to her.

"I brought you something." He said and handed her a pink flower. She gave a small smile and accepted it.

"Hey, Muffy, what's wrong?" Cody asked. She shook her head. "Come on, you can tell me." Cody said encouragingly. Finally, she gave in.

"Y-you see," She started over. "Well I just-" She sighed.

"Everyone thinks I'm just a pretty face." Cody stared at her. How could people think that about his sweet, innocent, hard- working girlfriend?

"Who said that?"

"Well, no one actually said that, but, well, Griffin keeps giving me really easy jobs, and he knows it. Why can't he treat me like anyone else and give me normal work? I can be so much more than a pretty face! Probably even as good as him!" At her words, Cody started to feel uncomfortable. He knew that the reason Griffin was treating her like this was because he liked her, not because he thought she was a dumb blonde. But Cody denied this to himself and tried to comfort Muffy instead, all the while thinking: She's MY girlfriend! Griffin better now interfere! After a while Muffy's tears dried up and she smiled her regular smile, the wide, bright smile, not the small, sad one. After this Cody left Muffy's bedroom, and entered the bar room. He glared at Griffin, but he didn't even look at Cody. When he got home he noticed it was late, so instead of going to the mine, he put the animals in and went to sleep, deciding to go tomorrow instead.