Lady of the Stardust Butterflies
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The King was furious. As he stood over his daughter, who had been carried by Kao from the garden to her chamber and laid down to rest, he heard the story of what had happened from the three witnesses.
"You know what this means Kaokon?"
"Yes your highness." Kao said, bowing his head.
Both ladies-in-waiting started to cry, feeling truly sorry for what was to happen. They weren't sure why their Princess went into deep slumber, but they knew the punishment any man got for breaking such a law as Kao did.
"Ladies, I want you two to go down to the knights quarters and find my chief knight. Tell him to send out messengers to all the miracle men and sorcerers in the kingdom. They are all to report to the castle immediately."
The ladies-in-waiting departed, leaving the King alone with Kao.
"You were such a good knight Kaokon. It pains me to do this, but you know the law. I'll give you a couple of days, five I believe is the maximum, and then you are to be beheaded."
"Yes your majesty." Kao kept his head bowed.
"You may take up quarters here in the palace, and you are suspended from your job as a knight until your execution."
Kao nodded.
"This is a true shame, lad, but you astound me deeply. How do you know the Princess' name? It is thought that no one knows but I, her deceased mother, and herself."
"I—well, she told me it when we were quite young." He admitted, unable to keep his eyes from tenderly wandering toward her. "She was only five or six at the time, so I imagine she does not remember telling me, but she had, and made me promise not to tell anyone. I was only about nine myself, and knew not what to do about it. I feared that if I informed your highness, she might get into trouble."
"But what made you say it this evening?"
"I can not account for that, I'm sorry your eminence. It slipped out by mistake, and even she seemed surprised that I had known, before she fainted."
"Well as law dictates, you know only her future husband is allowed to call her so intimately. I am afraid there is no escaping what befalls upon you, and I might add, it did you not well to fall in love with my cursed daughter, as you clearly have."
Kao felt mortified that even her father could see it, but he only nodded once again in response.
The two ladies returned, telling the king they had done what he bid. Any persons with magical abilities would be coming as soon as possible.
- - -
It might not be the best idea, Kao thought to himself, but seeing as in a couple of days he'd be a dead man, he felt he deserved the see her one last time. It had been three days since the Princess fell into her deep sleep. Three sorcerers and four miracle men had come by then, all inspecting her and hearing the details of what had happened that evening three days ago. They had come to the conclusion, that this state she was in had something to do with the curse lain upon her as a child, but they knew not what it meant. None of them seemed to think that the fact that a young man called her by her first name could have anything to do with it.
That third night, as planned, Kao quietly left his chamber, and made his way as silently as he could across the palace. When he got to the Princess' quarters, he made extra sure to be quiet as he slipped by the two guards that stood outside her door, both of them leaning against the walls and clearly asleep.
He walked into her room, and looked down at her in bed. She looked so peaceful and content in her sleep, and his heart lurched out for her.
"I don't know why you're like this," He whispered to her unconscious body. "I wish there was something I could do. If I could, I wouldn't mind being beheaded so much. I just hope you wake up before I go, or at least you wake up one day."
He leant down and brushed his lips against hers. Pulling himself back up, he smiled ruefully and said, "I hope you don't mind, but I've desired to do that for so long. I suppose this is goodbye then, my Princess. I hope someday someone will inform you about how much I loved you."
The Princess' eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. "Hello dear friend."
Kao stepped back in utter shock.
The Princess let out a yawn, and turned over in her bed, mumbling, "I'm so tired…please excuse me Kao, but…I'm so tired." And with that, she closed her eyes and fell into a natural sleep.
Not knowing exactly what to say or do, the knight did the only thing he could think of. He walked out and left her to rest, knowing that the next day they'd find her recovered.
- - -
Author Note:
Her cure may seem identical to Sleeping Beauty's, but read a little closer, and you will find that it wasn't the kiss that woke her up from her deep slumber, but his admitting his love for her. And that's the difference.
Now, as Dark Ninja of Mount Hope has requested, here are their ages.
Princess Midori – 17
Knight Kaokon – 21
Knight Wolfe – 28
Sir Squiggleton – 6
The lady,
Lady of the Stardust Butterflies
