The Moon Princess

Once upon a time in a kingdom with no music or dancing lived a young princess who longed to sing to her heart's desire. Her father was a lovely musician and singer but when he passed away fighting overseas, her mother banned all music and dancing from the kingdom. The young Princess Lucie-Anne was a very sneaky girl and would go out to the garden late at night and sing and dance under the moonlight. 

One night the princess was caught in the garden and her mother dragged her back to her room, “Lucie-Anne I can no longer trust you at night, after dinner I will lock you in your room and will not open it until the morning!”

          Princess Lucie-Anne cried and cried for she wanted nothing but to sing and dance the night away. The next night when her mother locked Lucie-Anne’s door, Lucie-Anne decided to fight back so she climbed out of her window down the tower of her room to her garden past the courtyard. When Lucie-Anne got to the garden she sat on her bench staring at the moon and started crying, but what she didn’t know was someone was watching Lucie-Anne dance and sing with passion. 

The person was the moon who looked down the world to find the perfect person to be the next moon princess, the person who could hold the power of the moon and be able to go wherever in the world she wanted to go. The moon saw Lucie-Anne and decided she was going to be the moon princess, so the moon caused it to snow and Lucie-Anne stood up in awe as the snow fell. Among the snowflakes was a big one which fell into Lucie-Anne’s hands, when the snowflake melted it turned into a little, white box.

She opened the box to find a ring with the crescent moon and a small blue gem, Lucie-Anne put on the ring and the box disappeared. She waved the ring around her and the beautiful garden she was in turned into big bright stairs that went to a castle, Lucie-Anne saw people coming so she ran into the bushes. In the bushes behind her was another garden showing the moon. Lucie-Anne realized there was a party where all the people were going, she was still in her nightgown with no shoes on. She also couldn’t go to the party without a disguise so she waved the ring over her hair and it turned beautiful raven black, she waved the ring around her eyes and they changed color from green to blue. Then Lucie-Anne waved the ring over her shoes and they turned to beautiful white dancing shoes, then she waved it over her dress and it turned to a beautiful, white ball gown. Finally, she waved her ring over her head and a crown with a crest moon appeared.

With that she walked up the stairs to the castle, as everyone was going to the beautiful party Lucie-Anne saw posters for a festival lasting all weekend. She walked through the grand doors to a beautiful ballroom with silver and gold accents, everyone was dressed in their finest clothes and dancing as much as their heart desired. In the back of the room was a King (who became very curious when he saw The Moon Princess), a prince, Lucie-Anne didn’t know of any other kingdom of her own, probably because of the singing and dancing her mother hated. The kingdom was a lovely place and everyone started finding partners to waltz, she was like everyone else looking for someone to dance with when the prince asked to dance with her.  

He was enchanting with his mask of gold and his shaky brown hair, he was wearing fine clothing with silk boots. They waltzed so instinct it was like they had been dancing together their whole lives. The dance continued, when many people joined into the waltz, the masked boy and Lucie-Anne slipped away to the garden. He took her hand and walked her to a bench near roses. 

The stop where they were, the moon and stars were visible, “How beautiful, I love the stars and the moon.” Lucie-Anne said, took off her mask, then continued, “Would you like to dance in the moonlight?” 

The masked boy stood up as he took off his mask and said, “Yes, I would love to, my name is Prince Henry Paul the third. Do I have the pleasure of knowing the name of my fair madam?” 

“Why my Henry I am sorry to tell you but my identity shall stay a secret while we dance, but I promise once the moonlight has turned to day you will know my name.” Lucie-Anne said. 

Henry smiled as they put down their masks, he grabbed her hand and got in the waltz position then said, “I will keep you to that promise.” Lucie-Anne and Henry danced for hours hand and hand while the festival raged on all night long until the morning roaster crooked. It was early morning and the sun was coming up in the east when Lucie-Anne and Henry kissed. When they kissed, Henry noticed a birthmark on Lucie-Anne’s face next to her right eye in the shape of a heart after they stopped kissing. 

Suddenly Lucie-Anne realized the time and said, “Oh My Goodness, I have stayed much too late, I must leave but I have had the most amazing night. I will be back tomorrow goodbye Henry.” 

Lucie-Anne ran back to the garden beyond the stairs, Henry held her mask imaging his love's face. But as Lucie-Anne undisguised herself from her gown to her nightgown, her raven-black hair to blond as gold, from her beautiful dancing slippers to bare feet, and from blue eyes to green. When Lucie-Anne came back to her garden the mask in Henry’s hand disappeared. Henry realized something and ran to the library in his castle and looked for a book he had read before. The book was called The Moon Princess. When he got to the page with a picture of The Moon Princess he saw his fair madame. 

Henry went out to his family all in a fuss, “I can’t believe it’s true I saw her I swear.” His father said while walking to his throne (with Henry’s mother trailing behind). 

His mother said, “Dear it probably wasn’t the same Moon Princess who turned evil all those years ago, it probably wasn’t even The Moon Princess at all. You're overreacting, can you please calm down.” His mother sat down on her throne while looking at  her husband worrisome. 

Henry walked in the room and asked, “Mother what are you guys talking about?” 

His mother said, “Well, your father thinks he saw-” 

“I did see her Margaret!” George interrupted. 

She continued, “Of course George, your father saw The Moon Princess at the festival yesterday and you don’t know this but when your father was very young when the first Moon Princess came to this area. But this Moon Princess used her powers of the moon for bad and tried to take over the kingdom, when she did your grandfather (who was the king at the time) fought back and sadly passed away taking her down. When The Moon Princess was taken down her moon ring was returned to the moon and she was put in the dungeon. She passed away a day before the festival, now there is a new Moon Princess. We will not put our kingdom in danger so tomorrow there will be guards at the doors of the festival looking for The Moon Princess to put your father at ease.” 

“Yes, mother.” Henry said. As he realized his love would be taken away right when she came to him. He sat on the bench near the roses thinking about The Moon Princess and what he will do. 

Lucie-Anne ran out of the garden and climbed up the tower to her room as the sun was coming up from the horizon. She climbed into her bed, under the covers, and closed her eyes. 

Then her maid, Erica came in and said, “Princess Lucie-Anne it’s time to wake up. You and the family are travelling today.” ‘Travelling’ Lucie-Anne thought, ‘Where and why.’ 

Lucie-Anne pulled over the blankets and asked, “Erica,” Erica looked at Lucie-Anne, “Where are we going?” 

Erica said, “Oh to the kingdom beyond the hills near the river of course. Now hurry and get dressed your mother will be waiting.” 

Lucie-Anne got dressed and ran to the throne room where her mother said, “Oh darling you are finally ready, great now we can go come on Scarlet.” 

She waited until Scarlet (her older sister) got into the bugie and asked, “Mother, why are we going to the kingdom beyond the hills?” Her mother replied, “To meet your sister’s betrothed.” “And who is Scarlet’s betrothed?” Lucie-Anne Asked. “Prince Henry Paul the third.” Lucie-Anne’s face was shocked she could not believe that the one her sister was going to marry was the boy she had fallen in love with the night of the festival.

Her mother got in the bugie and then Lucie-Anne followed them inside, they travelled over the hills and near the river to the kingdom. When they got to the castle they saw a beautiful grand staircase and Her mother said, “What a beautiful castle, don’t you think Lucie-Anne?” “Very nice.” She said sarcastically. They were greeted by King George himself who led them to the throne room to meet the prince. They walked in to see the prince and Queen Margaret, the king said, “Let me introduce you to my son, Prince Henry Paul the third.”

Henry came out from the other room and bowed then walked over to Scarlet’s hand and kissed it, “It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” Henry said. Henry and his father stood next to each other. “Very nice to meet you, may  I introduce you to my daughters, Scarlet,” she gestured at Scarlet then continued, “And Lucie-Anne.” Lucie-Anne was hiding behind her mother, but she slowly stepped beside her mother and smiled. Lucie-Anne and Scarlet looked like their mother a lot, but Lucie-Anne had a trait of her father that Henry noticed which was a birthmark next to her right eye in the shape of a heart.

Henry realized The Moon Princess was Lucie-Anne, he stared at her while his father was talking, “Now I think it is proper to start off this visit with a dinner so Henry will show you to the dining hall as I get freshened up. Right Henry…….. Henry…….. Henry!” “Yes, father.” Henry said, “Right this way to the dining hall.” Henry was so distracted by Lucie-Anne he did not even hear his father at first. They ate dinner and left. When they had gotten back to their castle it was time for them to go to bed and Lucie-Anne was locked in. As soon as her door was closed Lucie-Anne jumped out of her bed, climbed down the tower, and ran to her garden. 

She transformed her garden to the one at Henry’s castle then put on her disguise, Lucie-Anne went up the steps of the kingdom to the grand doors. As she was walking towards them the moon warned her the guards were looking for her so she shoved her tiara under a bush and hid her ring behind her ear. “Hey you.” One of the guards said, “Stop right there, we were ordered to check all of the guests before they went inside to make sure they weren’t The Moon Princess, you look a lot like her and show us your fingers.” Lucie-Anne held out her fingers but no ring. “Oh sorry for the confusion, miss, have fun at the festival.” “Thank you,” Lucie-Anne said.

Lucie-Anne put her ring back on and went to the ballroom when she came in her raven black hair and white dress alarmed everyone, the king saw her and yelled, “Seize her.” And Lucie-Anne was about to be captured when... she felt her hand be taken and pulled. Henry had pulled her to the right of the grand stairs, down the hall as the guards chased them. They were followed all the way through the castle up stairs, down halls, through the kitchen, then to a hall with a secret door inside. They walked through and it led them to the garden out in front of the castle where they had danced in the moonlight the night before. 

“What are you doing here?” Henry asked. Lucie-Anne said, “Why didn’t you tell me you are betrothed, and to my sister of all people.” “You were the one who hid your identity Lucie! The whole kingdom is against the moon princess; you'll be captured if you stay.” Henry said. Lucie-Anne cried one tear from her face and looked up at the moon. Then she looked at her ring, she said, “If I really must go then I will, but come with me. We can go anywhere in the world just dream where to go and we will be there. What do you say?” Henry said, “But what about everyone else here they will look for us, half the world knows who we are, they will be afraid of you there-” “We will be in disguise and no one will follow us to the place I want to take you. Please Henry I love you and the only way we can be alone with no troubles is to go together.” Lucie-Anne said. 

Henry looked into Lucie-Anne’s eyes as she looked at him, he said, “Lucie I love you, I would go anywhere with you.” Lucie-Anne used her ring to transform the area around them to the Eiffel tower in Paris, France. She used her ring to transform her beautiful, white ball gown into a white beaded, V-neck top dress tightly fit with beaded bristles at the bottom all in white. Then she took her ring and shined over to Henry whose outfit was changed into a nice fine black tux, a white vest, and some black leather shoes. When they had their outfits on Lucie-Anne created a mask for Henry and a mask for herself. 

Then when looking at the beautiful view Henry asked, “May I take this dance Lucie?”

 He bowed and held out his hand. “I would love to.” Lucie said. She took his hand and they went in the waltz position, then a band came up the stairs and played jazz music. There waltz was moving and a fast beat that led them down the stairs of the Eiffel tower all the way down to the streets of Paris where they were able to get a crowd of people to join in and dance along with them. While they danced through to morning. 

As they jazz danced through the city, back at Lucie-Anne’s castle there was a horse racing on the path to the castle with a man on his back, “Go, go, go Jacque.” the man said. “Open the doors! It’s an emergency.” Guards rushed to the lever at the top of the wall of the door and pulled it. The doors rushed open and the horse came charging through all the way to the front of the castle, then he stopped the horse, and jumped off. 

He ran up the castle stars and opened the castle doors, he said, “My Queen the kingdom over the hill and near the river needs your help because their son, Prince Henry Paul the third, has been captured by the Moon Princess.”  

“Oh NO that is terrible we must do something, Sir Daniel send a third of the guards to the kingdom over the hills and near the river and I will occupy you men to help comfort the King and Queen. Scarlet go wake up your sister.” said the Queen. 

Scarlet replied, “Yes mother.”

Scarlet went up to her sisters room and knocked on the door, no response, Knock again, no response. “Lucie-Anne I know you’re not sleeping because it is 9 in the morning. No if you don’t open this door right now then I will.” 

No response, she continued, “Ok I am coming in Lucie-Anne.” 

Scarlet walked inside to see an empty bed and an open window, “Lucie-Anne!” 

She ran to the window and looked down to see no one there, “Where are you?!” 

Scarlet ran out to the throne room and told her mother, “Mother mother Lucie-Anne is missing she is nowhere to be found!”  

“Oh no!” said her mother, “That must mean the Moon Princess took her too. We must go to the kingdom over the hills and near the river as soon as possible.” They left for the kingdom over the hills and near the river where everyone was in a panic after Prince Henry Paul the third had disappeared with the Moon Princess. 

When they got to the kingdom over the hills and near the river they met the King and Queen in the throne room making planes to fight back when the Moon Princess returned. 

The King said, “Ok we will give orders to attack anyone who comes into the kingdom, we will have guards around the whole castle, and once we have my son kill the Moon Princess I am not taking any changes. Now everyone, go to your posts. I will sleep in my room but wake me when you have them.” 

The King went to his bed and slept while the queen went to the castle library. 

She called in a few guards so she could say, “Hey listen up everybody now I want the power I want that moon ring so get it for me once you have captured the moon princess understand, now go go to your posts.” The queen was going to get all of the power so she could control the Kingdom over the hills and near the river all by herself. Henry and Lucie-Anne were against the world.