May 2019

Once there was a beautiful kingdom called Galavor. Giant trees and impossibly green grass flooded the land like a smile on a baby’s face. The sun would always shine without a doubt, warming the vast kingdom. The king, King Charle, seemed reasonable and fair. His dark, stiff beard and squinty eyes created a wise and trustworthy appeal. Everyone was happy and everyone adored their ruler. One warm June day, King Charle and his only child, Prince Richard, were eating a breakfast of omelettes and fresh fruit. They ate alone, as the Queen had passed away a few years prior, and all of Richard’s brothers had passed away at a young age. As per usual, the only noise was clinking cutlery. Prince Richard’s soft, platinum- blond hair occasionally fell into his emerald green eyes. His hands almost blended in with the porcelain chinaware. He was in premium health, but his complexion matched his mother’s, at least in his last memory of her. His bony body made the prince appear puny, but he was stronger and nobler than any man within the kingdom. Suddenly, King Charle broke the silence. “Son, while I hope to live much longer, we do have to acknowledge that I am getting older. In two months’ time, you will turn 21, and by then you shall be engaged to the woman of your choosing. Then you and your fiancée will get married and have a coronation, for it is an event I wish to be present for. Today, you shall travel to the next kingdom, Spañia, to search for a wife.” “While I do not disagree with you, Father, I would like to ask: why you are planning to step down from the throne so early in your life? You are only 60 years of age. You must remember, I am your youngest child, as my brothers have long passed. But, very well. If that is what you wish, I must obey. I will pack after breakfast,” responded Richard. “Very well,” said King Charle. The men continued to eat in silence. At about noon, when the sun was high in the sky, Richard mounted his black stallion, gave a small wave to his father, and set off on his two-day journey to Spañia. About two hours into his ride, he began to think about what he searched for in a wife. Romantic, independent, strong . . . As he tried to picture his perfect bride, he realized that each time he imagined her, she wasn’t the slim, graceful woman that is thought to be the most beautiful. Instead, she was more handsome than pretty and had a sturdy build. He realized that marrying and starting a family with a woman filled his heart with dread. He only wished to befriend women. He thought he was starting to hallucinate. So, after only three hours, he stopped for a nap beneath a willow tree. He arrived at the palace of Spañia around two o’clock in the afternoon, when the kingdom was at its hottest. The palace was built at the top of a tall, brown, and rocky cliff. While Spañia was just as beautiful as Galavor, it was pretty in a different way. It was warm and mystical. The royal family greeted him at the gate: King Ferdinand, Queen Isabel, Princess Isabel (the eldest sister), Princess Mia (the youngest sister), and Prince Francisco. They were all kind and very welcoming. While Isabel was the prettiest of the princesses, Mia took the most interest in Richard right away. Richard knew picking a bride would be difficult, especially considering he was attracted to neither of them. Instead, he took a strong interest in the prince, Francisco. Lucky for Richard, it was Francisco who showed him around the palace and helped to get him settled in his room, which was between Princess Isabel’s room and Francisco’s room. As Richard put his things away, he noticed the massive and beautiful garden outside his window. At six o’clock, dinner was served. Richard was placed between Isabel and Mia, and across from Francisco. The King and Queen sat at either end of the long, rectangular table. Throughout the evening, Richard had boring, two-sentence conversations with both princesses. (“How was the trip?” “Fine.” Or, “The salmon is quite delicious.” “Yes, it really is.”) Finally, Richard remembered the garden. “I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful garden you have here,” said Prince Richard. “Ah, yes,” said Francisco. “I love it. It’s where I spend most of my time. If I’m not gardening, I’m wandering, or reading under a willow tree. But, really, it’s nothing much. If you like, Richard, I can show you after dinner?” While Richard’s hair fell in his face, he wondered what it would be like to have Francisco’s dark complexion and stiff, yet wavy, black hair. He was the most attractive man he had ever seen. He liked his kindness too. He admired how humble he was. “Of course! That would be fantastic!” Richard exclaimed. “Great. I’ll meet you in your room at 7:30,” decided Francisco. At 7:32, Richard was still waiting in his bedroom, which was quite luxurious. He was starting to worry. “What if he has forgotten?” he thought. “Maybe I should go check on Francisco, to remind him of our—” Richard was not sure how to define it—“date?” Richard thought it was a date, but did Francisco? Did Richard want it to be a date? Richard was now more nervous than ever. As he stood to check on the prince, there was a short and rhythmic knock at the door. “Richard? Sorry I’m late. Are you ready?” called the voice of Francisco, through the door. “I’ll be right out, and don’t be sorry, it’s alright,” replied Richard. A second later, the two men stood together in the corridor. Richard found Francisco especially dashing. Was this a date? It seemed the answer was yes. To his own surprise, Richard smiled at the revelation. “Shall we?” Francisco put out his arm. Richard