lost love and memories

It has been years since the princess love had left for war, the woman who taught her to fight as well as that life isn’t all about appearances. The very woman who taught her to speak her mind and stand up to the kings control over her life.

Not a year since her lover was sent to the front lines a letter had come about her love perishing in battle. Wrought with grief she goes on a mission to the battle field, determined to find the body of her lost love, not believing the note. As it was her father, the king, who wished for the two women to be separated. After a long trek by horse, keeping hidden so her fathers men don’t find her, she finds the now barren battlefield. She desperately searches for the body or some hint to confirm if her love is alive or not.

After hours of searching the princess comes across the very pendant she had gifted her love before she was sent away to fight. Clutching the damaged pendant and chain in her hands she cries, believing her love had died in the battle, all while cursing her fathers name under her breath for sending her beloved to such a fate.

As she mourns her lover’s loss one of the princesses personal guards finds her and demands she return to the palace, his voice firm but eyes soft, as if understanding her loss while still having to attend to his duties. The princess reluctantly gets up and follows him, not speaking a word as she clutches the pendant close while sniffling, her heart broken and her mind lost, unsure if she will ever love again.

As they ride back to the palace the guard tries to comfort the mourning princess by telling her of a river that can erase memories, suggesting she drink from it, to rid the princess of her pain and loss. At first the princess looks to the guard with an expression of betrayal before stopping to consider it might be best to forget her lost love in order to move on and rule properly.

After returning the princess considers the guards words and even though another year has passed her sadness and longing has not waned, thus she made the hard decision to find the fabled river that erases memories. The trip is long and hard but she finds the fabled river, but just as she is kneeling at its edge and gazing into the waters, about to drink to forget her lost love the princess feels a tap on her shoulder.

As the princess turns to see who tapped her shoulder she gasps, tears begin to flow down her face as she sees the person who tapped her. the very woman she thought dead for two years now stands before her, beaten and clearly having fought to survive, but alive. The princess cant believe her eyes as she sees her lover, reaching with a shaky hand, as if scared that the woman before her is just an illusion and would disappear. But as the princesses hand rests on her lovers arm she realizes she is real and alive, more tears flow as the princess reaches out to embrace the woman she loves.

The woman, both a soldier and survivor of war, pulls the princess close to her. Rubbing the crying womans back in an attempt to comfort her, telling her that everything is okay and that nothing could tear them apart again. The princess, in between sobs, asks where her love was and why did she not come back sooner. Only for the woman to tell of how the king had men capture her before she could ever see battle, that the pendant the princess found on the battle field was planted to make it look like the woman had died.

With this new revelation the princess wipes her tears and holds her loves hand tight as she swears to expose the king for his role in separating them and pressuring her to come to the river to forget.

Over the following days the two women return to the palace, at the surprise of the guards and rage of the king. The king, ever a controlling and fearsome man, comes storming out as soon as the news of their return reaches his ears. He scolds the men who where supposed to get rid of his daughters lover, threatening to end their lives over the failure before storming out to the front of the palace to greet the women. As the king and princess stand before one another they glare at each other, knowing the truth is out while testing to see who will lash out first over the events leading up to this very moment.

As the silent standoff persists, the nearby guards are watching with unease while the princesses love sets a reassuring hand on the princesses shoulder, indicating her support and loyalty to the princess. After what feels like hours the princess finally vocalizes the truth she knows, accusing her father of harming her love and attempting to kill the woman and deceive her in order to control the princess. She speak loud enough for anyone nearby to hear, ensuring the king cant deny or argue the truth any longer. She also demands he step down as ruler or risk losing his only child, her words ringing as a promise more than a threat as she stares her father down with disdain.

As she speaks the kings face shows anger and rage at her accusations, before turning to what could be seen as fear and ultimately resignation, the king knowing he cant keep his daughter under his control anymore. After a few moments, as he hangs his head in shame, the now ruined king removes his crown in surrender to his now stronger daughter, he can see the truth had turned his once loyal people against him and they now stand in support of the princess. He hands the crown to the princess reluctantly, but he would sooner lose his crown than his own life or his daughter.