Nobody cries for the evil.
"And the prince and princess lived happily ever after. The end." The mother smiled at her young child as she closed the story book she'd been reading to her. "What did you think?"
The small girl frowned. "What a dreadfully sad story. I'm not sure I liked it."
"What do you mean? The prince defeated the evil king and saved the princess! It was a very happy story."
"But the king died! I think it would have been a better story if the king had lived. There was no need to kill him."
"Sweetheart, he was evil. He didn't deserve to live. There are many evil things in this world, and people need to know how to get rid of them." her mother said gently. "There's no use in crying over the evil." And on that note, her mother stood and left her child to fall asleep.
The little girl stared at the book thoughtfully. The grabbed it and ran her fingers over the cover, across the face of the villain.
"I bet if people looked more carefully, they would see that the evil can be kind." she said to herself. Then she tucked into her bed and went to sleep.
* * * * * * * *
When she opened her eyes next, the girl was no longer sleeping in her room. Her bed had been transferred to a small room made of stone. She sat up hesitantly and took in her surroundings. Being the creative and knowing child she was, she instantly knew that she was in a castle. That and this is exactly like one of the rooms she'd pictured from the story her mother read her the night before.
She slowly walked out of the room, cringing nervously when the door let out a loud creak. But no guards came for her. So she continued walking.
She really had no idea where she was going. But somehow she made it onto a balcony. It was nighttime, and the balcony was facing a vast and beautiful kingdom. It was probably the most beautiful place she'd ever seen in her life. Old buildings made of stone, wooden carts, sleeping horses, vines creeping up buildings, and grass greener than she thought possible. Rainbow flowers in colours she had no name for scattered the meadows. A large stone fence held it all in, the land past that too far away to see. This was the kingdom from her story, she was certain of it.
There was also a figure standing on the balcony. They were facing the kingdom, obviously enjoying the view. She walked up to him or her, completely unafraid.
"Hello." she said. The figure jumped a little, not having expected the voice. It turned and she recognized him at once. He was younger though. Much younger. Perhaps the book writer had gotten that fact wrong.
"I apologize. I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty." she said, giving a little curtsy. The Evil King from her story smiled.
"What is a young child like you doing here? You should be in your bed, and certainly not in the castle." His voice was deep, and although his tone was kind, his voice tripped with something that sent shivers up her spine.
"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know how I got here. I do not live in your kingdom, or even your time. We don't have kings anymore where I'm from. But I went to sleep in my bed and woke up in one of the beds inside your castle. I don't know how I got here, and I certainly don't know how to get back." she said. His smiled grew, and it was something you might expect on a monster before it opens it's mouth and eats you up.
"What is your name, child?" he asked.
"Vanity."
"Oh? Did your father and mother name you this because you are vain?"
"I should hope not. I don't like to think of myself as vain at all. It's just a name." she said. "Everyone needs something to go by. Mine just happens to be Vanity. My mother always said she thought it was pretty, regardless of the meaning."
"Well, it's a beautiful name indeed. It matches your looks." he purred. She crossed her arms.
"Sir, I am only eleven. You may be young, but not that young." she told him. He laughed.
"I'm seventeen. You're not that much younger."
"Still, I think you're acting inappropriate. I know you're a king and will do what you please, but I would appreciate it if you stopped."
"Then I will stop. I do have some respect. Even towards women and young maidens like yourself."
"Do you not have your own Queen you can go to for matters such as this?" His cheshire grin faltered.
"No. I'm in love with her, but she does not care for me." he said. Vanity gaped.
"Why ever not? You're a king! Any girl would be honoured to marry you! Except me of course." He looked away sadly.
"She's in love with someone else. A prince from a far away land. His kingdom has been destroyed, and he appeared here not too long ago, claiming he was looking for a place to stay. I agreed, and he almost instantly took her heart."
"Have you told her?" Vanity asked. "That you love her?"
"I... no. She'd say she didn't love me back. I couldn't bear to hear that." His smirk reappeared. "But at least she can't be with him either." he said.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm keeping her in my palace." Vanity's eyes widened.
"Where is she?" she asked, her voice urgent. "Actually, no, I think I remember..." Vanity sprinted off. The king called her name and ran after her.
After a few turns, Vanity selected a door. If she remembered correctly, this should be it. She looked at the bolted door and quickly undid it before pushing the heavy door open.
The young girl was sitting on the windowsill of her bedroom, singing to herself quietly. She wore a small crown and some pieces of jewelry. She was beautiful, just like the face on her book cover.
"Quinn," Vanity breathed. The young girl looked up.
"Who are you?" she asked in a soft voice. Vanity walked closer cautiously. She saw chains around the girl's wrists and tear stains on her face. She instantly felt sorry for her.
The king suddenly entered the room. Quinn looked at him and then away. Vanity noticed the colour in her face. She turned to the king.
"You should tell her." she whispered. He looked at her wide-eyed.
"No. No, I can't do that. She'll break my heart-"
"You're breaking hers by keeping her here." Vanity countered. "If you really loved her, you'd let her go if she wanted to. Just because it would make her happy."
The young king stared at the beautiful girl on the windowsill. She seemed to glow in the moonlight. He sighed.
"Quinn, I need to tell you something." he said. His voice was different. The scary undertones were gone and it was all kindness.
"Yes, Dran?" she said, peeking at him from under her lashes. Vanity could see her face becoming darker.
"I... I'm sorry that I've been keeping you here. It's just... I love you, so much, and I was afraid that if I didn't keep you here with me, you would go off with someone else." he admitted. She lifted her head.
"Really? You love me, Dran?" she asked hopefully. He smiled and nodded. She got up and walked over to him gracefully despite her bound hands. "I love you too."
"You do?" His tone was shocked, and she nodded. "But, Prince Eric-"
"Prince Eric is nice. He's handsome and strong and everything most girls want. And he loves me very much. But I've always loved you. Even as a young girl, I dreamed of being able to marry King Dran." She laughed, and it sounded like bells chiming. "The other girls thought I was crazy because you were such a trouble maker."
The king smiled and reached into his robes. He pulled out a small key and undid the chains on her wrists. They fell to the floor, and Quinn immediately flung her arms around his neck. He kissed her softly, and it was one of the sweetest things Vanity had ever witnessed.
They smiled when they parted. Quinn was crying out of pure happiness, and Vanity smiled as well. She was about to leave, glad her work was done, to find a way back home when someone burst through the door.
A boy she recognized as Prince Eric burst through the door with a loaded bow. It was pointed at the young king, who had stepped in front of Quinn to protect her. Prince Eric saw Quinn's tears and immediately mistook them.
"You'll pay, scum!" he shouted before letting his arrow fly.
"NO!" Quinn screamed, but the arrow was already in the king's chest. She let out a pained noise and fell over. Quinn started absolutely sobbing. Again, Prince Eric thought they were tears of fear over what almost happened instead of heartbroken ones. He stroked her hair as she cried loudly. Vanity felt utterly useless and upset. Prince Eric seemed to notice her for the first time.
"You poor child. I'm sorry you had to witness that. You should go back to bed." Vanity nodded and walked wordlessly back to the room she started in. She climbed into the bed, her bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
* * * * * * * *
When Vanity woke, she was back in her room. Sun was streaming through the window. And as cheery as she was, she couldn't help but feel sad.
She looked at the book cover that was sitting on her pillow. For the first time, she seemed to notice the way the teary-eyed Quinn was looking at King Dran with more heartbreak than fear. How the so-called evil king was looking at her affectionately instead of the cruel glare she once saw. And the way Prince Eric looked more evil than even the villain of the story. Like someone who would kill a person before finding out how kind they might be.
That was the moment she knew her mother was right. There was no use in crying over the evil. Except that people did it all the time. They cheered for the death of the good and cried over the bad. Except they didn't know they were doing it. Perhaps if people had shared her experience, they would realize that one should spend less time mourning over those they thought were kind, and more figuring out who the kind ones really are.
Because she knew for a fact that somewhere in a world that may or may not be real, there was a girl crying horribly over someone children everywhere thought was evil, when really the evil one was the person who took him away.
King Dran . Quinn . Prince Eric
"And the prince and princess lived happily ever after. The end." The mother smiled at her young child as she closed the story book she'd been reading to her. "What did you think?"
The small girl frowned. "What a dreadfully sad story. I'm not sure I liked it."
"What do you mean? The prince defeated the evil king and saved the princess! It was a very happy story."
"But the king died! I think it would have been a better story if the king had lived. There was no need to kill him."
"Sweetheart, he was evil. He didn't deserve to live. There are many evil things in this world, and people need to know how to get rid of them." her mother said gently. "There's no use in crying over the evil." And on that note, her mother stood and left her child to fall asleep.
The little girl stared at the book thoughtfully. The grabbed it and ran her fingers over the cover, across the face of the villain.
"I bet if people looked more carefully, they would see that the evil can be kind." she said to herself. Then she tucked into her bed and went to sleep.
* * * * * * * *
When she opened her eyes next, the girl was no longer sleeping in her room. Her bed had been transferred to a small room made of stone. She sat up hesitantly and took in her surroundings. Being the creative and knowing child she was, she instantly knew that she was in a castle. That and this is exactly like one of the rooms she'd pictured from the story her mother read her the night before.
She slowly walked out of the room, cringing nervously when the door let out a loud creak. But no guards came for her. So she continued walking.
She really had no idea where she was going. But somehow she made it onto a balcony. It was nighttime, and the balcony was facing a vast and beautiful kingdom. It was probably the most beautiful place she'd ever seen in her life. Old buildings made of stone, wooden carts, sleeping horses, vines creeping up buildings, and grass greener than she thought possible. Rainbow flowers in colours she had no name for scattered the meadows. A large stone fence held it all in, the land past that too far away to see. This was the kingdom from her story, she was certain of it.
There was also a figure standing on the balcony. They were facing the kingdom, obviously enjoying the view. She walked up to him or her, completely unafraid.
"Hello." she said. The figure jumped a little, not having expected the voice. It turned and she recognized him at once. He was younger though. Much younger. Perhaps the book writer had gotten that fact wrong.
"I apologize. I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty." she said, giving a little curtsy. The Evil King from her story smiled.
"What is a young child like you doing here? You should be in your bed, and certainly not in the castle." His voice was deep, and although his tone was kind, his voice tripped with something that sent shivers up her spine.
"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know how I got here. I do not live in your kingdom, or even your time. We don't have kings anymore where I'm from. But I went to sleep in my bed and woke up in one of the beds inside your castle. I don't know how I got here, and I certainly don't know how to get back." she said. His smiled grew, and it was something you might expect on a monster before it opens it's mouth and eats you up.
"What is your name, child?" he asked.
"Vanity."
"Oh? Did your father and mother name you this because you are vain?"
"I should hope not. I don't like to think of myself as vain at all. It's just a name." she said. "Everyone needs something to go by. Mine just happens to be Vanity. My mother always said she thought it was pretty, regardless of the meaning."
"Well, it's a beautiful name indeed. It matches your looks." he purred. She crossed her arms.
"Sir, I am only eleven. You may be young, but not that young." she told him. He laughed.
"I'm seventeen. You're not that much younger."
"Still, I think you're acting inappropriate. I know you're a king and will do what you please, but I would appreciate it if you stopped."
"Then I will stop. I do have some respect. Even towards women and young maidens like yourself."
"Do you not have your own Queen you can go to for matters such as this?" His cheshire grin faltered.
"No. I'm in love with her, but she does not care for me." he said. Vanity gaped.
"Why ever not? You're a king! Any girl would be honoured to marry you! Except me of course." He looked away sadly.
"She's in love with someone else. A prince from a far away land. His kingdom has been destroyed, and he appeared here not too long ago, claiming he was looking for a place to stay. I agreed, and he almost instantly took her heart."
"Have you told her?" Vanity asked. "That you love her?"
"I... no. She'd say she didn't love me back. I couldn't bear to hear that." His smirk reappeared. "But at least she can't be with him either." he said.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm keeping her in my palace." Vanity's eyes widened.
"Where is she?" she asked, her voice urgent. "Actually, no, I think I remember..." Vanity sprinted off. The king called her name and ran after her.
After a few turns, Vanity selected a door. If she remembered correctly, this should be it. She looked at the bolted door and quickly undid it before pushing the heavy door open.
The young girl was sitting on the windowsill of her bedroom, singing to herself quietly. She wore a small crown and some pieces of jewelry. She was beautiful, just like the face on her book cover.
"Quinn," Vanity breathed. The young girl looked up.
"Who are you?" she asked in a soft voice. Vanity walked closer cautiously. She saw chains around the girl's wrists and tear stains on her face. She instantly felt sorry for her.
The king suddenly entered the room. Quinn looked at him and then away. Vanity noticed the colour in her face. She turned to the king.
"You should tell her." she whispered. He looked at her wide-eyed.
"No. No, I can't do that. She'll break my heart-"
"You're breaking hers by keeping her here." Vanity countered. "If you really loved her, you'd let her go if she wanted to. Just because it would make her happy."
The young king stared at the beautiful girl on the windowsill. She seemed to glow in the moonlight. He sighed.
"Quinn, I need to tell you something." he said. His voice was different. The scary undertones were gone and it was all kindness.
"Yes, Dran?" she said, peeking at him from under her lashes. Vanity could see her face becoming darker.
"I... I'm sorry that I've been keeping you here. It's just... I love you, so much, and I was afraid that if I didn't keep you here with me, you would go off with someone else." he admitted. She lifted her head.
"Really? You love me, Dran?" she asked hopefully. He smiled and nodded. She got up and walked over to him gracefully despite her bound hands. "I love you too."
"You do?" His tone was shocked, and she nodded. "But, Prince Eric-"
"Prince Eric is nice. He's handsome and strong and everything most girls want. And he loves me very much. But I've always loved you. Even as a young girl, I dreamed of being able to marry King Dran." She laughed, and it sounded like bells chiming. "The other girls thought I was crazy because you were such a trouble maker."
The king smiled and reached into his robes. He pulled out a small key and undid the chains on her wrists. They fell to the floor, and Quinn immediately flung her arms around his neck. He kissed her softly, and it was one of the sweetest things Vanity had ever witnessed.
They smiled when they parted. Quinn was crying out of pure happiness, and Vanity smiled as well. She was about to leave, glad her work was done, to find a way back home when someone burst through the door.
A boy she recognized as Prince Eric burst through the door with a loaded bow. It was pointed at the young king, who had stepped in front of Quinn to protect her. Prince Eric saw Quinn's tears and immediately mistook them.
"You'll pay, scum!" he shouted before letting his arrow fly.
"NO!" Quinn screamed, but the arrow was already in the king's chest. She let out a pained noise and fell over. Quinn started absolutely sobbing. Again, Prince Eric thought they were tears of fear over what almost happened instead of heartbroken ones. He stroked her hair as she cried loudly. Vanity felt utterly useless and upset. Prince Eric seemed to notice her for the first time.
"You poor child. I'm sorry you had to witness that. You should go back to bed." Vanity nodded and walked wordlessly back to the room she started in. She climbed into the bed, her bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
* * * * * * * *
When Vanity woke, she was back in her room. Sun was streaming through the window. And as cheery as she was, she couldn't help but feel sad.
She looked at the book cover that was sitting on her pillow. For the first time, she seemed to notice the way the teary-eyed Quinn was looking at King Dran with more heartbreak than fear. How the so-called evil king was looking at her affectionately instead of the cruel glare she once saw. And the way Prince Eric looked more evil than even the villain of the story. Like someone who would kill a person before finding out how kind they might be.
That was the moment she knew her mother was right. There was no use in crying over the evil. Except that people did it all the time. They cheered for the death of the good and cried over the bad. Except they didn't know they were doing it. Perhaps if people had shared her experience, they would realize that one should spend less time mourning over those they thought were kind, and more figuring out who the kind ones really are.
Because she knew for a fact that somewhere in a world that may or may not be real, there was a girl crying horribly over someone children everywhere thought was evil, when really the evil one was the person who took him away.
King Dran . Quinn . Prince Eric
▬▬❨
---X---
