"These are for you." Her words still ring in my ears as I look at the map and the sword my mother gave me on her deathbed. She said that they would protect me and lead me to my soul mate. She said that my soul mate wouldn't love me because I was a prince; instead, she would love me because I would save her. "Save her from what?" I asked. But I never got my answer. All my mother said before she died was,

"Find her." And that's what I am going to do.

The next day, I ride away from the castle, following the map in my hands. I look at it again to make sure that I am going the right direction. A bridge should be coming up. As soon as I look up from the map, I see the bridge. My horse takes one step onto the bridge before a troll pops up from underneath and forces us back.

"Answer me, riddles three!" he says. I nod in agreement.

"Riddle me this: What runs day and night and never stops?" I tilt my head in thought. What can it be? I look around me, hunting for an answer. My eyes come to rest on the rushing river that the bridge runs over. Of course!

"A river." I say with confidence. He rolls his head in frustration.

"Next one: I can be as small as an ant and big as an elephant but I weigh absolutely nothing. What am I?" This one is even harder than before! I use the same strategy and look around me. Not a tree, not a bridge, not a flower, not a shadow, not a bird... Wait! Ants have shadows and elephants have shadows.

"A shadow!" I say. He looks at me evilly before continuing.

"Last riddle: You are standing at a crossroad. One road leads to a prosperous city and the other leads to a pit of lions. The only problem is that you do not know which path is which. Two soldiers guard the roads. You can ask one of them one question, but keep in mind that one of them lies and the other tells the truth. But again, you don't know which is which. What question will you ask to find the path that leads to the city?" I know this one! My brother loves this riddle and he tells it to me again and again.

"You would ask: 'If I asked the other soldier 'which road leads to the city', what would he reply?' Then take the path that is not indicated."

"AAAH," the troll screams as he jumps about. "You have bested me!" And with that, the troll jumps down under the bridge and I continue on in peace. That is, until I meet the ogre.

The peace in the forest was broken by a battle cry. I ride up a little more and come to a clearing where an ogre is standing.

"You, mere human, will die tonight."

"Do you honestly believe that?" I ask, just to make him blinded by rage.

"Of course! I have never been defeated!"

"Well then, I challenge you to a duel." I say, jumping off my horse.

"Challenge accepted."

He runs towards me, swinging his club widely. He must be very mad. I fake to the right and then run to the left, cutting into his left calf. He roars and turns to me. But I am gone. I climb up a tree and when he comes beneath me, I jump onto his back. He tried to shake me off but I hold on tightly. With one flick of my wrist, I cut through his neck and his head rolls at my feet. I walk to my horse and climb back onto the saddle. I ride on a little farther until I reached another clearing. I look down at the map. Just like the map, a tower stands before me. I get off of my horse again and walk closer to the tower. The map in my hands vibrates. I look down at it. There is no longer a map; instead, there are instructions. As I walk underneath the lone window, I hear beautiful singing coming from the tower. I read the instructions one last time before calling up what the words said:

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Let down your hair!"