Where was I? Oh yes, that's right, the prince had just brought the woman back to the palace and gone to get something to eat.

Well, with his tummy full, the prince headed back to the room where he had left the girl and found the imp by the door with his arms full of clothes.

"For the girl mi lord."

He didn't say anything, as was his way and pushed into the room.

The bed, where he had left the girl was empty!

Where was she?

Where could she have gone?

Was she running around the palace in nothing but a sheet and her cloak?

But the prince was smart.

While his imp was running around the room, screaming to find the girl, the prince stood and listened.

Then he kicked his servant out the room and closed the door on him, leaving himself in the empty room. And he stood. And he listened.

And he listened a little more.

And then he heard what he was waiting for.

A tiny whimper, a tiny sob of fear, coming from the wardrobe.

And so he stepped over to the doors, took a handle in each hand and pulled them apart. There she was, awake, tears running down her face as she cowered in her cloak, pulling herself away from him.

He blinked at her.

The story says that her eyes were like an ancient forest, a world long forgotten where the elves and pixies still could be found. And in looking into her eyes, you could see them dance and sing.

And the prince was once again enchanted.

But no elves danced right now.

Right now her eyes were mirrors, showing him what she saw, a strange man with strange hair and strange eyes in strange clothes in a strange place.

Well, it was very strange.

So the prince nodded slowly, keeping his actions steady and calm. "Easy." He said, reaching out to her. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you."

And the girl looked at him and listened to the dark tone of his voice.

Armies have turned and run just at the sound of the prince's voice. Whole oceans have calmed just because he said it bothered him. But she found warmth in his voice. It was like milk and honey to her.

So she reached out and took his hand, stepping out of her hiding place, her bear cape dropping around her and hiding her body.

The prince stood, looking down at her as she only came to his shoulder and waited. Waited for her to speak, to ask him questions, to tell him who she was.

But no sound came from her mouth.

And he stood for the longest time, holding her hand and just waiting.

Until realisation hit him. "You can't speak." He said to her. And the woman shook her head.

She could hear and understand. But not speak.

So the prince went on to introduce himself and explain how she had come to the palace and that she was safe. He also said that new clothes were ready for her but funnily, the girl shook her head and held her cape tighter.

"They are the clothes of a lady, they will suit you fine." The prince explained, allowing his imp back in and holding one of the gowns out to her for her to look over. "You should try it on."

But the girl shook her head and stepped back. She refused to even touch the clothes.

Confused, the prince guessed she just wasn't use to such fine clothes and sent for the clothes of a servant instead.

But again she would not touch them.

He sent for the clothes of a farmer and again she would not touch them.

He tried everything, the clothes of a lady, the clothes of a swineherd, the clothes of a princess and the clothes of a dung herder. But nothing. She would not touch any of them.

She kept her bearskin cape tight to her body, concealing herself from him and any she came close to. Soon, after a week of trying, after a week of giving her clothes that she would not even touch, the prince grew bored and decided to ignore her.