He was as beautiful as the dawn, and had he been the girl-child his parents had been expecting, the baby would have been named Aurora. You see, the great fairies of the Kingdom of Bennett all said that their offspring would be the most beautiful child ever born - it was a pity that King James and Queen Leah thought that meant the babe would be female.
But never mind that, a son was a son and something to rejoice about. For a son meant that the kingdom would go on, the throne secure for another generation, even if King James was corrupt and Queen Leah was weak.
The boy child, so beautiful with his long, dark lashes and brilliant blue eyes and silky dark curls, was named "Neal" - for he was destined to become a great champion. Or so they thought.
At his christening, the king and queen were careful to invite all the fairies to give their blessing to the beautiful prince, but somehow, the invitation to the fairy Terrence was lost. Terrance was a fairy of great power and even greater pride. Insulted, he appeared at the christening and laid a curse upon poor Prince Neal.
"On his seventeenth birthday, he will learn the truth of his parents' misdeeds and will flee the kingdom, he will become a disgraced outlaw, condemned to spend the rest of his life in prison."
Amidst the gasps of horror, the three greatest fairies of the realm, Diana the Fierce, Clinton the Stalwart and Elizabeth the Wise cast a quick countercharm. They couldn't stop evil Terrance's evil curse completely, but they could change it.
"Neal will learn about his parents’ less than noble deeds, but he will only suffer the pain of the heart. His talents – for they are many – will keep him safe, even in the darkest hours. And when he is old enough, he will meet true love and that love will make him strong and wise and good.”
To be safe, baby Neal was given into the care of the wise woman, Ellen, who took him deep into the forest and cared for him as if he were her own.
Neal grew tall and strong and if possible, even more beautiful. Ellen tried to teach him all that he should know about statecraft, she painted him pictures of the wise King James, a hero to all the citizens of their kingdom. All the gifts that the fairies bestowed upon him at his birth – a facility for language, art, creativity of all types – made him more than just a pretty face. He had charm and wit and although Ellen herself was a great warrior, Neal loathed violence.
On the anniversary of his birth seventeen years previous, Ellen took Neal to his parents’ castle. There he found a few familiar faces, particularly those of the three great fairies, Diana, Clinton and Elizabeth. They had been frequent visitors to the little cottage in the forest, and Neal took great delight in playing games with them. Even now, on the cusp of adulthood, Neal indulged in a game of hide-and-seek.
Alas, but he lost his way in the corridors of the great castle and found himself in the dungeon. There he saw King James, wearing an ugly and twisted expression as he watched as a prisoner was tortured on the rack.
How could this be? King James was his father, a good and kindly man, beloved by all!
At that moment, Prince Neal decided to run away – he did not want to know this man; he did not want any part of the kingdom he was to inherit. Not if it meant he had to hurt people.
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White Collar - Sleeping Beauty (Part 1 of 3)
Date: 2013-01-31 10:00 pm (UTC)But never mind that, a son was a son and something to rejoice about. For a son meant that the kingdom would go on, the throne secure for another generation, even if King James was corrupt and Queen Leah was weak.
The boy child, so beautiful with his long, dark lashes and brilliant blue eyes and silky dark curls, was named "Neal" - for he was destined to become a great champion. Or so they thought.
At his christening, the king and queen were careful to invite all the fairies to give their blessing to the beautiful prince, but somehow, the invitation to the fairy Terrence was lost. Terrance was a fairy of great power and even greater pride. Insulted, he appeared at the christening and laid a curse upon poor Prince Neal.
"On his seventeenth birthday, he will learn the truth of his parents' misdeeds and will flee the kingdom, he will become a disgraced outlaw, condemned to spend the rest of his life in prison."
Amidst the gasps of horror, the three greatest fairies of the realm, Diana the Fierce, Clinton the Stalwart and Elizabeth the Wise cast a quick countercharm. They couldn't stop evil Terrance's evil curse completely, but they could change it.
"Neal will learn about his parents’ less than noble deeds, but he will only suffer the pain of the heart. His talents – for they are many – will keep him safe, even in the darkest hours. And when he is old enough, he will meet true love and that love will make him strong and wise and good.”
To be safe, baby Neal was given into the care of the wise woman, Ellen, who took him deep into the forest and cared for him as if he were her own.
Neal grew tall and strong and if possible, even more beautiful. Ellen tried to teach him all that he should know about statecraft, she painted him pictures of the wise King James, a hero to all the citizens of their kingdom. All the gifts that the fairies bestowed upon him at his birth – a facility for language, art, creativity of all types – made him more than just a pretty face. He had charm and wit and although Ellen herself was a great warrior, Neal loathed violence.
On the anniversary of his birth seventeen years previous, Ellen took Neal to his parents’ castle. There he found a few familiar faces, particularly those of the three great fairies, Diana, Clinton and Elizabeth. They had been frequent visitors to the little cottage in the forest, and Neal took great delight in playing games with them. Even now, on the cusp of adulthood, Neal indulged in a game of hide-and-seek.
Alas, but he lost his way in the corridors of the great castle and found himself in the dungeon. There he saw King James, wearing an ugly and twisted expression as he watched as a prisoner was tortured on the rack.
How could this be? King James was his father, a good and kindly man, beloved by all!
At that moment, Prince Neal decided to run away – he did not want to know this man; he did not want any part of the kingdom he was to inherit. Not if it meant he had to hurt people.