“Are you sure about this?” his friend asked nervously. “No one has ever returned from this expedition. Entire groups have gone, using the most advanced of our technology – only to never return.”
“I’ve heard much about this. I’ve prepared for my entire life for this, Colton. I’m sure about this,” the prince answered back confidently while mounting the horse. “No one has prepared more than me. It will take more than just technology to find the princess. You need wit, bravery, confidence, and belief that she is –“
“You’re only one person, Aragon,” Colton argued. “What can you do against the power of gods and fairies?”
“One person can make a difference. Have you ever heard of that phrase?”
“Yes, I have, Aragon, but we’re talking about the gods –“
“Nevertheless, I will try. It has been a tradition for the princes in our kingdom to try to rescue the princess, and it always will be, until the day that she shall be found.”
He made himself comfortable, shifting in the girdle a bit, which made the horse snort and paw the ground with a hoof.
The friend was still unconvinced, but respect for the old traditions and the king’s orders forced him to grudgingly let his friend go.
The myth was that the princess was cursed by the gods to teach humankind a lesson. She was to be bitten on her sixteenth birthday by a vampire and die. However, the fairies nullified the curse, and instead, she would sleep for a hundred years after the bite.
Everything was done in order to prevent it, but it couldn’t stop the inevitable. The prophecy was soon fulfilled.
Although she and the rest of the ancient castle of Aerosdale would awaken soon, after the hundred years came to an end, it was rumored that a kiss from her soul mate would wake her before that. Many were skeptical about this; after all, wouldn’t it make more sense that her soul mate would have been of her time?
This didn’t stop people of royal blood, however. For decades, they had sent kings after kings, princes after princes, and men after men to the castle. Most of them never made it back alive. Those who managed to escape came back screaming about ghosts and spirits in the trees and flocks of strange black-feathered birds coming and pecking them and driving them out. Spiky brambles and poisonous trees had grown and covered the castle grounds, mile after mile, making it nearly impossible for anyone to get in. Those who managed to get about a mile in met howling animals and pale white creatures with fangs. In addition to that, the moment you stepped into the ancient palace’s grounds, fog so thick that you couldn’t even see your nose enveloped and covered everything. It was no longer bright and sunny. They had to make their way around using their hands or various equipment.
The reason why they still continued this was partially because of the speculation that there were incredible treasures in there, and whoever managed to reach Amalia, the most beautiful and kindest princess in history, would be able to marry her.
Aragon did not really care about the prizes; he was just simply a very brave young man that was curious on whether there was really an ancient princess deep within the castle. That, and because it was a tradition for the princes of his kingdom to try to find her. His father had done the same, and was lucky enough to be able to escape.
For days and days, he traveled on his trusty horse, Silver, past town after town. Each and every city was clean, unpolluted, and filled with goods and riches. Nearly the entire kingdom was like that in Skydale. Everyone was ensured to have a good life. No one was left behind.
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Vampire Beauty
VampireAmalia Onidiro is the nicest and politest girl you would ever find. There is no one as sweet or kind as her, and one look or a spoken word is all it will take for you to fall in love with her. The only problem about her is that she is too clean, too...
