The Twin Princesses
Crystal S Hughes

 

Chapter 1--

Once upon a time, in a Kingdom far away, there lived a King with his fair Queen.
The King and Queen had everything that their hearts could possibly desire except for the one thing that they wanted most of all in this entire world, which was children.
As time passed, and as the King and Queen grew older, they feared that they would die of old age and would never have the children that they so desperately longed for.
Until one bright, and glorious day, when the Queen gave birth to not just one Princess, but to twin Princess's.
They named them Christian and Martina.
The King was so excited about the birth of the twin Princess's that he invited everyone in the entire Kingdom to an elaborate ball, and a feast fit for a King to celebrate their birth.
On the night of the ball the townspeople arrived to the palace in droves from all over the entire Kingdom brandishing gifts and good tidings for their new Princess's.
They singed, danced, ate, and were merry all night long as they celebrated the birth of Christian and Martina.







Chapter 2--

As the weeks turned into months, and the months into years, Christian and Martina had grown into beautiful young Princess's.
By the time they had reached their sixteenth birthday, the King and Queen had grew quite old and had decided that it was now time to name one of them as the ruler of the Kingdom.
Even though Christian and Martina looked very much alike physically, the King and Queen quickly noticed how different they really were. Christian had grown into a sweet, unselfish young Princess and was admired by all.
Martina on the other hand, had grown into a selfish, mean Princess and was hated and feared by everyone in the entire Kingdom.
It was for this reason that the King and Queen decided that because of Martina's selfish, and unkind ways, that Christian would make the better ruler. She would be the one to inherit the throne and the entire Kingdom.
When Martina learned of the King and Queen's plan to make Christian the heir of the throne she was infuriated because she thought that she should be the one to sit on the throne and rule the Kingdom.
Seeing that the King and Queen had every intentions on making Christian the heir to the throne, Martina made up a plan to rid herself of Christina so that she could proclaim the throne for herself.
One night while everyone in the palace was asleep. Martina put her plan into action. She set out on her trusty steed into the forbidden forest to seek the help of the wicked witch Katrina, whom had been banished from the Kingdom years ago by the King for practicing evil magic.





Chapter 3 --

The forbidden forest was cursed with Katrina's evil magic.
It was a cold, dark place, with towering dead trees, and thick vines, and bushes, that strangled the life out of anything that tried to grow there.
Not even the faintest rustle could be heard there, only the wind whistling round the turrets, and the howling of wolves at a distant.
Martina made her way through slowly and with a struggle, for the vines and bushes were in a thick tangle.
A few hours later, now losing heart, Martina was about to turn the horse around and go back to the palace when Katrina suddenly appeared, her black cloak flowing in the night's wind.
"What has brought the fair Princess into my lair?" Katrina cackled.
"I seek your help in riding me of my sister," Martina said.
"And what is in it for me fair Princess?" Katrina asked curiously.
Martina thought about this for a moment. "I will give you anything you ask for but on one condition," She said.
"And what condition is that fair Princess?"
"That no harm befalls my sister. She is only to be held by you until I am made the ruler of the Kingdom and then she is to be released."
"Not even one little bitty hair on her head?" Katrina asked, holding up one finger.
"Not even one!" Martina snapped back angrily.
"Well that's no fun"... Katrina cackled.
"Agreed. But this is what I ask from you in return, fair Princess. When you become ruler I wish to rule by your side, but if you should go back on your word your sister will surely die! When you return to the palace your sister will be gone! Now leave this place." Katrina demanded as she wrapped her cloak around her and disappeared into the darkness and the night.

CHAPTER 4--

Upon returning to the palace Martina learned that Christian had disappeared just as Katrina had said. She was held prisoner in Katrina's dungeon where she toiled from sunrise until sunset.
When the King and Queen learned of Christian's disappearance, the Queen fell sick in her bed dying from a broken heart.
Fearing for the life of the Queen, Martina went to the King and told him all of what she had done.
The King immediately sent for the strongest and best Knights in the Kingdom to enter into the forbidden forest and retrieve Christian from Katrina's dungeon.
As soon as Katrina set eyes on the Knights entering into forbidden forest, she hurled herself out of her palace, hair flying in the wind, screeching furiously and brandishing a fiery sword. Attacking them one by one, she left them lying dead on the ground.
Word got back to the King of the fate of his most strongest and best Knights.
There was no hope in ever retrieving Christian, Katrina's magic was just too strong.
When Martina heard of the fate of the Kings Knights, she began to cry.
"Look at what I have done," she cried. "This is all my fault, so I must be the one to rescue my sister from Katrina's magic." She thought to herself.
Bravely she armed herself with the Kings sword, and that night while everyone in the palace was asleep, she set off to the forbidden forest to retrieve Christian from Katrina's dungeon.
Katrina looked into her crystal ball and saw her arriving and grinned, but did not make a move.
"So the fair Princess has gone back on her word." She said to her pet rat as she stroked his fur gently. "But I shall keep mine, and soon they both will die!" She cackled.
As Martina approached the entrance to the castle, she quietly crept through the doors, descended the stairs without making the slightest sound and entered into the dungeon.
There Christian sat in a small cell, crying, filthy, and scared.
Upon seeing her sister in such a bad state, Martina's heart was instantly filled with love for Christian and shame for what she had did to her.
Martina broke the lock to the cell doors with the Kings sword. Once the doors were open the two of them fell into each others arms crying.
"Come sister, we must leave this place now!" Martina said, as she grabbed Christian by the arm and lead her up the stairs and out of the castle.
Outside of the castle they mounted the trusty steed and took flight into the forbidden forest.
Just then there was a huge gust of wind, and the sound of cackling that echoed throughout the forest.
Christian looked back just in time to see Katrina huge and terrible, advancing on them. Her eyes were red flames, shooting fireballs.
Katrina laid her wild fiery gaze on the steed, the steed trying to avoid her stares, ducked underneath a tree branch to avoid the fireball. The fireball burst into flames on the ground instead.
Katrina came still advancing, shooting fireballs from her eyes and wildly swinging her sword.
Near the bridge now the trusty steed jumped over a huge log. As its hoofs landed hard on the soft dirt Christian and Martina was thrown from his back onto the ground.
Just as Katrina was bearing down ferociously on Christian with her sword, Martina remembered the Kings sword. She picked the Kings sword from up off of the ground and stabbed Katrina right in the back with it, but it didn't stop Katrina.
Angry now, Katrina turned and moved towards Martina, on she came towards her still cackling. Martina stabbed Katrina again, but still she kept coming.
She laid her wild burning gaze on Martina but the splendor of the Kings sword blinded her.
Seeing that Katrina was temporarily blinded, Christian sprung to her feet into action and grabbed Katrina's sword from out of her hand and stabbed her in the eye.
After taking another step, Katrina stopped dead in her tracks, shuddered and fell to the ground dead.





Chapter 5--
  
As Christian and Martina approached the palace gates, all of the townspeople rushed out to greet them and showered them with gifts.
Having both of Princess's home safely the Queen quickly recovered from her broken heart.
The King arranged an elaborate ball to celebrate the Queens health and the safe return of the royal Princess's.
On the day of the ball the King stood and made an announcement to all of the townspeople.
"Henceforth," he shouted to the townspeople. "From this day on Princess Christian and Martina will share thy throne and shall equally rule thy Kingdom." He said.
The townspeople cheered the Kings ruling and from that day on Princess Christian and Martina ruled the Kingdom equally together.

The End


 

 

Copyright © 2002 Crystal S Hughes
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"