Once Upon A Time

Under the trash, Under the shores lived a protected Princess who will soon set out on her journey to save the Kingdom, the Kingdom that never gave her the respect she wanted. No matter how bright her light, everyone saw her as the burden, the blockade keeping them away from the prince. There was no prince, Only a Princess.

So lets start this off right shall we..

Once upon a time.. there lived a princess who had no Honor under her title..A princess everyone hated..Now she must risk her life to save them..

…

“You must go Princess! stop the blinding light that destroys our cities!”

“But Father-” she stammers.

“SILENCE! You are my daughter! Heir to the thrown, if you cannot stop this can you even call yourself a Stasia!!” The King yelled at his scared but beautiful daughter.

“Of course you do not answer, my life would have been so much easier with a son” The King remarked. He often made these statements about having a son instead of daughter, it always broke the young princesses heart. But one mere princess does not dare speak out against a king.

“Herald!” Our beloved Queen screams out, coming from the lighted red velvet curtains. “How many times do I ask you not to speak of such matters in front of our daughter, you disrespect me as well as our daughter!”

“SILENCE-” the King started but interrupted by Our Queen Lila.

“You dare silence me! I was a Queen before I became your wife, you still owe me dignity and respect” The Queen remarked, harshly. Our Queen always had a slick mouth, one she passed on to her daughter.

“As you do to me Queen Lila” The King responded. Our Queen's face scrunched but she knew when to surrender in battle.

“Yes, your Highness” she responded walking over to the seat beside her husband. He gripped her hand with a smile, even though they argued very much they loved each other just so.

“Queen Mother, I refuse to go up to the human world, why must I the honorable Princess go?! Send one of our guards, or something else. I do not care who- just please do not-”

“Oh my child, you have spent to much time here.. it will be a great deal of learning for you” The Queen responded to her sweet daughter.

“And who’s fault is it that I am locked here? Do not push your matters unto me when you feel like it!” The princess screamed in anger.

The King smacked his long staff in anger, pushing the waves toward the Princess making her fall backwards.

“You dare speak to us that way, do you think these people are not your people? Our people are going weak by the electrical rays everyday! You call yourself the "Honorable Princess" but what exactly have you done for you to be labeled honorable?”

The princess stood up on her own pushing away the help of her personal guard.

“So when I am cold and pale under the dirt is when I shall be labeled honorable father?” the princess responded in defiance. “All my life I have been mocked and in the shadow of your ‘son’ who doesn’t even exist! I once wanted your love, I once yearned for your Honor, but now I see you shall never acknowledge me…It's a shame I do not care for your acknowledgement anymore. If I am to go on this mission, I shall go on my own terms” the princess said feeling her words pierce her father, she finally felt like she had won.

“Shling!” the guards put their swords right in the path of the princess so that she may not be able to leave. She felt her spit grow up to the top of her throat.

“You leave tonight Star.” The King said in orderly fashion.

“24 Hours, do not be late,” her mother followed after.

And late…she never was.

…

“GAH!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“Please calm down Princess” Fredrick said expressionless, he was already used to my unroyally tantrums.

“You dare tell me to calm down, Fredrick! I ought to feed you to the sharks!”

“Forgive me Princess” he said bowing down to me. My eyes soften…

“Oh stop it Fred, we both know you have no respect for me just like everyone in this Kingdom. I am not your Prince, there never was a Prince. After years of putting me down for not being one they suddenly want me to become like one. Is it my fault they didn't birth a son!” I say.

“I do respect you Princess Star, as do so many others here” he responds. I look at him..he has always been handsome. And maybe I had a crush on him because of his sweet words but now I don’t think I can act as naive as I once did.

“Then hug me and tell me everything's going to be alright, tell me you shall protect me with your life, soldier. Pledge your loyalty to me” I order my eyes returning back harsh.

“Forgive me Princess Star but my loyalty is to My King” he says with a slight bow. His eyes sad.

“You may leave soldier” I say turning my back to him.

“Princess I was told to accompany-” he starts. I turn with a stomp on the ground my room shakes with rumbles.

“I do not need your services, I cannot trust you or any soldier in this castle with my life. You of all people should know that I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. Unless you want me to put you on your behind once again” I snap.

He meets my eyes. “Leave!” I yell.

“As you wish…” he responds slowly. A soldier doesn’t hesitate, a soldier does not think twice, in fact they do not think. Their orders come from one source, and they are to follow.

Fredrick was always different, he was my personal body guard since birth..when I was 2 he was 5. He was the only person I considered a real friend here, but here I am treating him like a guard. Oh why do I question myself, he is a guard.

I stare outside and the house boy walks with a burnt scar at the edge of his neck. When he catches me staring at him he runs away. Maybe…if I help them..they will respect me. Maybe..

*Knock* *Knock*

I turn around as my door opens. Its mother.

“Hello my child..are you ready for your quest..?”

“Even if I bestowed I wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter would it?” I respond back.

“Well..yes..I suppose so. I do believe I and your father were to harsh on you early this morning I want to apologize.”

Mother? Apologizing..?

“Why cause you realize your daughter will die..and you want to end it on a birdys note?”

“Quit it with the snarky remarks Star..” she responds to that with her eyes glowing blue.

“Who do you believe I got it from Mother” I respond back my eyes glowing the same.

“You don’t think it is hard on us as well! You think we just got up and decided that our daughter should bare the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders!” she yells.

“Yes actually, thats the impression I received” I respond levitating on my own crossing my arms.

“It breaks my heart!” she screams. “That you could die out there in the human world..it hurts” she says her eyes tearing up.. ah yes the don’t-blame-me-I-feel-bad- look.

“It hurts more for me than it does for you” I respond falling back down..landing in my boots. “I have a few more hours, I will leave on my own.” I say as I walk to the door.

SHLING!!

Icicles block my path..

“Who decided you will leave alone?” she asks giving me the shivering side eye.

“I did” I respond.

“Fredrick will leave with you, its already been decided..do not anger me again Star..” she says..and when I turn around to look at her she has disappeared into the floor. The icicle melts..as well.

What mother wants, mother gets. They are both like children, they will torture you until they get what they want. And here I am talking like I am any better.

“Stop following me like a coward and come out” I speak out, stopping my walk..

“Sorry, Princess I didn’t want to anger you anymore then I already have” Fredrick responds. I don’t respond to that..I just keep on walking unto we are to the gate of Waters..where I shall step off my kingdom and swim to the surface. Everyone is already waiting for me..my so called people..my father, my mother. And my non existent honor.

“Glad you’ve made it Princess Star” Father says, as a soldier tries to help me down the steps. I wave him off.

“Happy to be in your presence King Father” I say bowing my head. “As well as this glorious kingdom” I say. What a lie. Everyone whispers..and mutters just like they always do when it comes to me.

“Your Honor awaits my daughter” Mother says facing my face to hers. I take of my crown and place it her hands. “What Honor?” I seethe out.

“You li-” Father begins. I jump into the waters before I can listen to anything he had to say.

“Princess!” Fredrick yells after me. I turn around my outfit flowing.

“Do wait for me next time you react, its my duty to protect you” he says. I squint at him..and sigh.

“Lead the way soldier” I say as I cross my arms. he opens his mouth to speak with those sad eyes..then closes them. The opens it again.

“Everything shall be alright" he promises. "Are you ready” he asks finally.

“Ready for what?” I ask as he pulls me in a hug. Soon the water around us circulates us and in a whirl we are pushed upwards.

“What are you doing Fredrick! Stop! I order you to-” I scream, but suddenly I can’t breathe its like my oxygen is gone. I gasp as Fredrick lands us on the ground filled with disgusting green Algae? Could it be Algae. I continue to gasp..clutching and Fredrick for help but he seems to be struggling as well. He goes in his pockets and retrieves a bean shaped jelly and plops it into my mouth and one into his.

I sigh out as the I feel the sickening air penetrate my lungs. Its disgusting up here..The human world is disgusting. The tales of the once beautiful sky is stained with dark clouds of steam. Trash floats on the surfaces of our Kingdom, our waters are toxic with oils destroying the nutrients. Now they threaten us once more with these electric lights shining all over.

“Are you okay Star?” Fredrick asks me..I look at him, when was the last time he called me Star, I love hearing it, I want to hear it once more.

“HEY! WHO are you the BEACH IS CLOSED!” an old frail man with a stick for a cane says running towards us.

“You dare speak to us that way!” I yell out forgetting that this is not my kingdom. Fredrick holds me back and breathes out just once..and the old man is frozen.

“Let me protect you Princess” he says. I nod at him. “The pill I just gave you last-” he starts.

“Thirty minutes, you do not have others I am aware.” I finish for him. He seems surprised then remains back neutral.

“The source of the power of this earth is at the glaciers..once we get there all we need to do is destroy all the plugs..and our Kingdom is saved.”

“But what about this Kingdom? What about these people, what about the useless Humans?”

“You are not the Princess of this kingdom. Your protection and services should only be to Stasia.” Fredrick responds helping me up.

“Don’t lecture me..” I say with my bold front but on the inside I am scared..will I be able too?

“Come on..” he says keeping me close..as we walk through the beach. The little rocks glisten at me and stick to my boots.

I have a feeling my journey is only beginning..but the end is very near.

…

6 weeks later

I am tired and weak from our journey. 30 minutes was not enough for our trip and eventually revealed he had a whole bag of bean shaped jellys. It angered me that he didn’t tell me. But to be fair a whole bag of bean shaped jellys still was not enough. I feel my breath weakening from every step, I feel Fredrick's strength leaving me I have royal blood so it will take a while before I fully weaken but Fredrick can’t keep up.

“You may eat the last bean shaped jelly, soldier” I say facing forward.

“What? Your highness I cannot do that..you-” he stammers.

“I didn’t call you by your name soldier, you of all people should know that its an order”I say meeting his eyes. Those beautiful emerald eyes.

“My duty is to protect the crown..I will not” he responds eventually.

“And my duty is to protect my Kingdom, that includes all of its people. That includes you”

“I am merely a soldier Princess” he says.

“You are also an option for the next crowned King” I say revealing his secret, the secret everyone thought I would not know. His eyes are wide. “Or did you think I would not be aware”

“I-I-” he stammers.

“Its okay, I approve. No one expects me to return anyways. My father thinks he is so smart, you all do. But I am a prodigy, a Princess of royal blood, yet they all seem to forget that. They want you to return and you shall be labeled protector, and eventually King” I say looking at the rocky road. We are close.

“No- Star thats not-”

“Eat it Fredrick. That is an order” I say my eyes glowing blue. His eyes glow green in protest, but I am the master. he plops it in his mouth..and I look away. He comes back a hero, I die..or if I don’t die..he kills me and comes back a hero. That is how they plan to tell my story; The Death of A Princess.

“We are here..” he says. I look up at the huge building in front of me. I can feel the water in the guards that surround them.

“You stay behind me okay? Whatever you do stay behind me, I’ll protect you” he says with that smile he used to show me in the past. My heart thumps and I look away.

“Okay” is all I say. He runs into the building and I follow him..when did he get so tall? Those broad shoulders.

Oh control yourself Star. Remember why your here..we run into the building and Fredrick knocks one of the guards out with one blow. I have never seen such blood before. We enter a hallway, its surprising its not made of water. I wonder how it stands.

Fredrick continues to move forward fighting all the guards on his own, and closing my eyes when there is to much blood.. One guard grabs me by the arm.

“Unhand me fool” I say looking at him. Clearly he’s never seen a Stasia before so he seems terrified, no horrified of me. He falls to the floor due to my powers. My breath is leaving me..I can barely see where I am going.

“Are you okay princess!?” Fredrick says as he smacks a guys head into the wall. I hear Fredrick scream after me but this is the part I do on my own. This is where I get my honor.

I walk past the guards and they all fall at my presence. One shoots his gun at me..I dodge it..but another comes and hits me right in the arm. I have never bled before..so this came as a surprise. But then again..everything in this world is a surprise.

I push them all back in a quick rage. There is the room. The room that contains the plug. The room that will save my people. I open the door slightly..and I open it completely.

“Princess STAR!” I hear Fredrick scream, as he jumps in front of me as the guard shoots his rifle at me..it hits Fredrick sides. I scream…but I barely have the breath for that. I push the guard to the wall..and pull out all the water from his body. He decays right in my eyes.

“N-no” is all I gasp out only holding Fredrick.

“Your- your the Princess..of Stasia- My loyalty is to you” he gasps out. It hasn’t been 30 minutes yet why is he gasping?

“Fred-Fredrick..you do not die. I order you not to die.” I say holding my neck my vision blurring even more..

“For you…my love. I shall.” he grabs my face and kisses me. I feel his tongue fill mine as he passes me the last shaped jelly bean. The one he didn’t eat.

“Forgive me Princess, I sucked out a little power from it. Fulfill your honor, Star. Princess Star Stasia.” he says his head lands on the ground and I stand.

Thank you for your disgusting sacrifice..Goodbye. I step into the room and I pull out the plug, then I use the water pulled out of the guard that took my soldiers life and I bash every electronic in that room.

POW POW!!

Two shots hit my back..I land on the floor right beside Fredrick. He was wrong..everything didn’t turn out alright.

On the tile floors is where I received my honor.

…

Now lets end this right shall we~

Once upon a time there lived a princess who’s story is still untold.. but her wish did come through. Hmm did she receive her happy ending? Who knows.

But I will say this~ the lovely phrase..“Once upon a Time” is only said when the main character is-

-dead.