There she stayed for days thinking over what had happened to her and what the mage had said. One day she came to a realization. The young man, though he had deceived her, had been only trying to help her because he loved her. She knew then that she could be happy with him and that she could love him because of everything he had done for her.
Schal waited until dawn the next day before returning to the castle. When she reached the castle, she overheard horrible news. The mage had been arrested and jailed, being accused of helping Schal escape. After hours of searching, Scahl found a barred window that led to the mage's cell. It was low and close to the ground which Scahl assumed meant his cell was below the castle with only this one little window for air. Schal collapsed by the window and called the mage. When he came up to it she wept and wept and confessed her love for him and that she would forever be grateful for what he tried to do for her. The young man smiled and reached to take her hand. Weeping she handed the scarf to him, saying she'd rather walk around bald being humiliated and have her hair cut off and sold than see him harmed because of helping her. Suddenly, the young mage was kneeling next to her. He helped Scahl stand and hugged her tightly.
"The love for which you handed me the scarf and the words you said set us both free," he said with a smile, "It was not just the other people that had to see beyond your hair but also you had to. You were willing to forever be humiliated and unhappy if it would set me free. For that you have saved us both."
The young mage kissed her and lead her into the forest. Together they escaped from the kingdom and built a small cottage in the hills. After a few months of getting to know each other, Scahl and the mage were married and lived happily ever after. Schal no longer had to cut off her hair to be sold and she could grow it as long as she wanted to, cutting it whenever she pleased.
Schal waited until dawn the next day before returning to the castle. When she reached the castle, she overheard horrible news. The mage had been arrested and jailed, being accused of helping Schal escape. After hours of searching, Scahl found a barred window that led to the mage's cell. It was low and close to the ground which Scahl assumed meant his cell was below the castle with only this one little window for air. Schal collapsed by the window and called the mage. When he came up to it she wept and wept and confessed her love for him and that she would forever be grateful for what he tried to do for her. The young man smiled and reached to take her hand. Weeping she handed the scarf to him, saying she'd rather walk around bald being humiliated and have her hair cut off and sold than see him harmed because of helping her. Suddenly, the young mage was kneeling next to her. He helped Scahl stand and hugged her tightly.
"The love for which you handed me the scarf and the words you said set us both free," he said with a smile, "It was not just the other people that had to see beyond your hair but also you had to. You were willing to forever be humiliated and unhappy if it would set me free. For that you have saved us both."
The young mage kissed her and lead her into the forest. Together they escaped from the kingdom and built a small cottage in the hills. After a few months of getting to know each other, Scahl and the mage were married and lived happily ever after. Schal no longer had to cut off her hair to be sold and she could grow it as long as she wanted to, cutting it whenever she pleased.