As the days went by Manny and Frida contiued to grow closer to each other. There was barely one day when they weren't together and overtime the young prince fell desperately in love with the silent maiden. However he always wondered why she constantly worked to make nettles into shirts. He didn't mind at first until he saw the blisters on her hands from when she touched the nettles.

"I wish you could tell me why you do that." He said to her as he watched her sew a shirt by the fireplace. He took her blistered hands into his own causing her to look up from her work and into his gentle brown eyes. "You don't cry out but I know doing this causes you pain and hurts me to see you in pain. Can't you stop this?"

She just shook her head. Manny sighed then smiled.

"I understand. It must be really important if you're willing to suffer silently in pain from it."

She nodded.

"I just hope that whatever you're doing you'll finish it soon."

She nodded again. Many were confused about why Frida collected nettles and sewed them into shirts but she was such a beautiful and sweet young woman that they barely paid it any mind. Most of the kingdom's subjects adored her even the king and queen found her to be a delight. Only two bared ill will toward her.

The archbishop Chakal who was convinced that she was a witch. And the prince's intended fiance the baroness Zoe. She was extremely jealous of Frida's beauty and goodness but most of all she was jealous of the prince's growing love for her and would try to turn him against her.

"She is such an irritation." She told him. "You should order her to leave."

"She shall stay as long as she wishes." He said.

"She does not belong here. Can't you see that?"

"I don't know what you mean the entire kingdom thinks thst she's wonderful."

"The archbishop says she's a witch and believe him."

"The archbishop wouldn't know a real witch if one turned him into toad."

"Make her leave."

"I will not. Now no more talk of this."

But she had no intention of letting that be the end of it. The next day while Frida was working she heard a noise of distress. Going to the window of her room she saw several hunters at a lake shooting at five swans. One of their arrows managed to pierce the wing of the youngest swan causing it to fall to the ground. Panic stricken, Frida raced out of her room, downstairs, and outside toward the lake. Falling to her knees she took the youngest swan who was injured into her arms and cradled him while shedding tears.

"You again?! What are you doing here?!" One of the hunters demanded.

"Hand over that swan!" Another demanded.

But she just shook her head and held the swan closer to her.

"Woman we shot that swan now give it to us!"

She shook her head again and glared at the hunters with a look that warned them that if they dared to touch that hurt bird she would make them regret it.

"Insolent wretch!"

The hunter raised his arm to strike her only to have his arm be caught by Manny.

"What is going on here?" The prince demanded. "I thought I told you that you were to never harm this woman!"

"But sire this time she interfered with a direct order."

"From who?"

"The baroness Zoe your majesty, she insisted that we shoot these swans for her."

Manny looked down at Frida who had torn off a part of her dress and was using it to tend to the young swan's hurt wing. Tears were in her eyes, her eyes and the swan's. He knew how much she cared for those five swans who always came by the lake in the palace gardens. He would watch as she fed them, gently stroked their feathers, and she seemed to have some way of communicating with them and they had a way of understanding her. Those swans were more than just five random birds to her. They were her dear friends, perhaps more than that.

"You are to never hunt these swans." He said.

"But sire the baroness ordered-"

"I am your prince and one day I shall be king therefore my word is law. These five swans shall not be harmed, if any of these birds are hunted or harmed in anyway by anyone then they shall be severely punished." Manny declared.

"Yes your highness." The guards said.

"Now begone."

The hunters were dismissed. Manny went to Frida's side as she tended to the young swan's wound.

"Here, I know someone who can fix that wing."

He took her back to the castle where he had the swan's wing cleaned and bandaged. After that he requested a silken cushion be brought into Frida's room for the swan to rest on until it healed.

"There now you're friend should recover in no time." Manny assured her.

Frida smiled gratefully then hugged to show her gratitude further. If only he knew how much he had done for her in that moment. He had just unknowingly saved her little brother's life and had ensured that her brothers and sisters would be forever safe from hunters.

"You really do love those swans. Can't say I blame you they are very beautiful birds." When she pulled back he gazed into her lovely blue eyes. "However you are more beautiful than anything I have ever seen."

She blushed and tried to turn away shyly but he stopped her by gently cupping her face in his hands. Their eyes locked they found each other leaning in closer. Their lips were centimeters apart when...

"Excuse me your highness." Manny's squire T.J said entering the room causing the two to back away in embarrassment. T.J grinned mischievously. "Ohhh am I interrupting something?"

"No. Did you need something?" Manny said annoyed.

"The baroness has requested your presence."

"Tell her I'll be there shortly."

After bidding Frida goodnight he went to see Zoe in her chambers.

"You requested my presence?" He asked her.

"I heard you told the hunters to defy an order I gave them." She said. "Is it true?"

"Yes and I would like to know why you ordered that those swans be killed though I have a pretty good idea."

"I wanted a new coat. One made from swan feathers."

"You knew those swans were dear companions to my friend and you wanted to kill them just to spite her."

"She cannot speak and yet she can somehow communicate with birds. Don't you find that suspicious?"

"It is odd but she isn't hurting anyone and disgusts me tgat you're going out of your way to hurt her. Leave her alone! That is an order!"

"How dare you speak to me like that! I am your fiance."

"I don't care."

He then left the room causing Zoe's envy and hatred of Frida to grow. You see Zoe was not really a noblewomen. She was actually the daughter of an evil witch and not just any witch the witch who happened to be Frida's stepmother. Zoe traveled to the castle where her mother lived and went to her for help.

"Oh Mother!" She cried.

"Why my dear daughter what is the matter?" Carmelita asked.

"It's terrible! The young prince I am to marry is in love with another girl!"

"What?!"

"Yes! She's a very hateful and wretched girl! I hate her! She's keeping me from my prince! He is supposed to marry me!"

"And marry you he shall! Don't worry my daughter I shall dispose of this girl! I swear it!"